 Muhammad Uzair 20k-0521
 Mubashir 20k-0585
 Ahmed Mujtaba 20k-0504
 Shaad Mohsin 20k-0580
 Muhammad Murad 20k-0578

 Absolute poverty:
Absolute poverty is when household income is below a certain level, which
makes it impossible for the person or family to meet basic needs of life including
food, shelter, safe drinking water, education, healthcare, etc.
In this state of poverty, even if the country is growing economically it has no effect
on people living below the poverty line. Absolute poverty compares households
based on a set income level and this level varies from country to country depending
on its overall economic conditions.

 :
 Relative poverty is when households receive 50% less than average
household incomes, so they do have some money but still not enough
money to afford anything above the basics. This type of poverty is, on
the other hand, changeable depending on the economic growth of the
country.
 Relative poverty is sometimes described as “relative deprivation”
because the people falling under this category are not living in total
poverty, but they are not enjoying the same standard of life as everyone
else in the country. It can be TV, internet, clean clothes, a safe home (a
healthy environment, free from abuse or neglect), or even education.
 Relative poverty can also be permanent, meaning that certain families
have absolutely no chance of enjoying the same standards of living as
other people in the same society currently have access to.

The gender discriminatory practices in Pakistani society also
shape the distribution of poverty in the country. Traditional
gender roles in Pakistan define the woman's place as in the
home and not in the workplace, and define the man as the
breadwinner. Consequently, the society invests far less in
women than men. Women in Pakistan suffer from poverty
of opportunities throughout their lives. Female literacy in
Pakistan is 71.8% compared to Male literacy at 82.5%. In
legislative bodies, women constituted less than 3% of the
legislature elected on general seats before 2002. The 1973
Constitution allowed reserved seats for women in both
houses of parliament for a period of 20 years, thus ensuring
that women would be represented in parliament regardless
of whether or not they are elected on general seats.

During the last decade, poverty elimination programs helped
many of the poor to participate and rise up. However the Global
financial crisis and other factors like the occupation of
Afghanistan have impacted Pakistani growth. Poverty in
Pakistan has historically been higher in rural areas and lower in
the cities. Out of the total 40 million living below the poverty
line, thirty million live in rural areas. Poverty rose sharply in the
rural areas in the 1990s and the gap in income between urban
and rural areas of the country became more significant. This
trend has been attributed to a disproportionate impact of
economic events in the rural and urban areas. Punjab also has
significant gradients in poverty among the different regions of
the province.
Spatial distribution of poverty:

9)Poverty will never end useless there are real solutions to
end it solutions based on Economic justice and political
changes.
10) The fully equality between men and women in public as
well as private areas of life,a world wide minimum wage
of$2 per day and the child of labour under the age of 16
with the creation of a subsidy for scholarship.
11) The guarantee of shelter,healthcare,education,food and
drinking water as basic human rights that must be provided
free to all.

COVID-19 and increased vulnerabilities:
Vulnerabilities play a central role in perpetuating poverty as poor households
lack necessary human, financial, and physical capital to withstand the
negative impacts of sudden shocks. It is no surprise that COVID-19 is
expected to be up to 10 times more deadly for the poor. A recent UNDP
study of 70 countries, including Pakistan, estimated that COVID-19 may set
poverty levels back by 9 years, with an additional 490 million people falling
into multidimensional poverty.
Prior to COVID-19, Pakistan’s economy was already struggling with a fiscal
crisis and undergoing an IMF-sponsored macroeconomic stabilisation
programme. With one of the lowest human development indicators around,
the government estimates that 56.6% of the population has now become socio-
economically vulnerable due to COVID-19. As one of the youngest countries
in the world, with nearly two-thirds of the population under the age of 30, a
consistent GDP growth rate of 7% is required to absorb the young workforce.
With a projected growth rate of only 2% post-pandemic, unemployment rates
may rise drastically, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Facts About Poverty in Pakistan:
1) The percentage of people under poverty in Pakistan in 2018 is 31.3%. According to
the Business Recorder, the percentage of people under poverty in Pakistan is predicted
to jump to 40%. By numerical standards, the poverty population will increase from 69
million to 87 million by the end of 2020. A value of 87 million is quite high in
proportion to the country’s population of 212.2 million.
2) In 2018, Pakistan suffered a macroeconomic crisis. The government had accrued a
budget deficit of $18 billion by the end of 2018. As a result, this forced the government
to limit its spending. The economic growth slowed significantly. The recent COVID-19
pandemic has further brought the economy to an almost standstill. This has forced the
government of Pakistan to cut down on its spending. When a country’s economy
shrinks, the government stops funding many welfare programs. Consequently, the
people at the margins of poverty suffer, further increasing poverty in Pakistan.
3) The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected the poverty-stricken
citizens in Pakistan. These people consist of women, children, the elderly and people
with disabilities. They are far more likely to suffer from malnutrition and their health
may be weak. Thus, the virus tends to spread in poverty-stricken communities faster.
The U.N. has recommended that Pakistan should increase its essential health services
to people in poverty because of their weaker health status. In order to improve the
economy, the U.N.