Majority of people believed that poverty in the country was raised since last ten years due to different reasons. According to a Gilani Research Foundation survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan, poverty in Pakistan is believed to have risen over the past 10 years; overwhelming majority (84%) believe poverty has increased whereas only 15% believe it has either decreased or remained the same and 1% gave no response. When asked about the efforts for helping poor people, only 16% believe such efforts have increased while 55% believe otherwise.

The remaining 29% said the act of helping poor people has remained the same or gave no response. A nationally representative sample of men and women from across the country were asked “In your view has the incidence of poverty in the past 10 years increased, decreased or remained the same?” Eighty four percent (84%) claimed it has increased, 6% believe it has decreased whereas 9% claimed incidence of poverty has remained the same over the past ten years.

The remaining 1% were unsure. To find out whether in these times of high incidence of poverty in the country, are poor people supported by others, the respondents were asked “In your view, has the inclination towards helping the poor and needy people increased, decreased or remained the same?”

Sixteen percent (16%) believe it has increased whereas 55% believe otherwise and 28% claimed the inclination towards helping the poor people has remained the same. The remaining 1% of the respondents gave no response. The study was released by Gilani foundation and carried out by Gallup Pakistan, the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International. The latest survey was carried out among a sample of 2770 men and women in rural and urban areas of all four provinces of the country.