Balochistan has emerged as Pakistan’s poorest region, with the poverty rate rising to 47 per cent, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025–26.
The survey’s findings indicate that nearly one in every two residents of the province is living below the poverty line, placing Balochistan well above the national average.
Economists and analysts have attributed Balochistan’s economic challenges to a combination of factors, including weak governance, limited employment opportunities, low levels of industrial development, and restrictions on cross-border trade with neighbouring Iran and Afghanistan. Thousands of families in border districts have traditionally relied on small-scale trade for their livelihoods, but tighter controls and the closure of various crossing routes have reportedly reduced income opportunities for many households.
Residents in several districts continue to face shortages of basic services, including healthcare, education and access to clean drinking water. Rising inflation and unemployment have further increased economic pressures on households, with local communities reporting growing difficulties in meeting everyday living costs.
The Economic Survey estimates Pakistan’s overall poverty rate at 28.9 per cent, significantly lower than the figure recorded for Balochistan. Observers warn that without measures to expand employment opportunities, improve public service delivery and support economic activity in the province, poverty levels could continue to rise.
Recent incidents have also highlighted concerns about the social impact of economic hardship. In Dera Bugti, a district rich in natural resources, reports emerged this week of a man attempting to take his own life, allegedly due to unemployment and financial difficulties. In Quetta, a young man reportedly burned his educational certificates during a protest over the lack of job opportunities.
Such incidents have raised concerns regarding unemployment, economic insecurity and living conditions in Balochistan.