New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) Balochistan is facing acute unemployment and economic insecurity and a new survey indicates that the province has emerged as Pakistan’s poorest region, with the poverty rate rising to 47 per cent.

The ‘Pakistan Economic Survey 2025–26; finds that “nearly one in every two residents of the province is living below the poverty line, placing Balochistan well above the national average,” according to the report in Balochistan Post.

The report says that Balochistan’s economic challenges are due 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,” the report mentions.

The Survey also estimates Pakistan’s overall poverty rate at 28.9 per cent, significantly lower than the figure recorded for Balochistan.

Without measures to expand employment opportunities, improve public service delivery and support economic activity in the province, poverty levels could continue to rise, the Survey findings warn. Recent incidents have also highlighted concerns about the social impact of economic hardship.

Pakistan’s economic situation has started unfolding negatively in 2026, as geopolitical headwinds appear to be re-emerging, according to media reports.

A recent report in Karachi-based Business Recorder highlighted growing security concerns in Balochistan which have now delayed the Reko Diq financial close indefinitely, despite it being touted as a game-changer.

FDI remained abysmally low, and the same fate befell other external inflows (barring debt). There have been talks of investment and debt from friendly countries for three years, yet little has materialised so far, the report mentioned.

–IANS

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