54.3% of Pakistan’s population remains disconnected from the internet, the third highest in the world (Digital 2024: Global Overview Report)

 

According to UNFPA, Pakistan’s maternal mortality rate has risen to 186 per 100,000 live births.

 

More than 12.4 million Pakistanis have moved abroad for employment in over 50 countries through official procedures, as of December 2022.

 

More than 96 percent of Pakistani registered workers for overseas employment are in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

 

Between 1992 and 2021, according to the World Bank Group, climate- and weather-related disasters in Pakistan resulted in a total of US$29.3 billion of economic losses from damage to property, crops, and livestock, equivalent to 11.1% of 2020 GDP (World Bank).

 

Pakistan ranks among the top 10 countries worldwide most affected by climate change and natural disasters (World Bank).

 

In Pakistan, 43.7% of under-five children are stunted (UNICEF).

 

16 million people in Pakistan don’t have access to clean water close to home (WaterAid Pakistan).

 

More than a third of children in Pakistan are stunted.

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Pakistan Dialogues

  • post truth thumbnail

    Democratic Movements and Post-Truth Discourses in Pakistan

    By: Anam Kuraishi
    This week’s piece explores the political dynamics surrounding post-truth. Drawing on two democratic movements in Pakistan, author Dr. Anam Kuraishi explores how post-truth discourse can both disrupt and reshape democratic imaginaries, making it highly relevant to understanding Pakistan’s polarized political landscape.
  • Motherhood penalty thumbnail

    Career or Children? The Unfair Choice Facing Working Mothers

    By: Hadia Majid, Rabia Khan and Yushma Umar
    This article examines the “motherhood penalty” in Pakistan, where women face reduced labor force participation, slower career progression, and wage gaps after childbirth. Drawing on labor market data and interviews with working mothers at a private sector university in Lahore, the blog highlights structural barriers faced by mothers in the work force and suggests policies to address them.
  • Internet disruptions Pakistan

    Pakistan's Digital Dilemma – The True Cost of Internet Shutdowns

    By: Rabia Khan and Yushma Umar
    Pakistan lost an estimated $1.62 billion in 2024 due to internet shutdowns, the highest in the world. In this week’s issue of the Friday Economist, authors Rabia Khan (LUMS) and Yushma Umar (LUMS) examine the economic toll of Pakistan’s recurring internet disruptions, particularly on the IT sector and freelancers. The piece outlines critical reforms needed to restore stability and secure long-term growth.
  • Pakistan’s Battle for Clean Air: Will Our Cities Ever Be Breathable Again?

    Pakistan’s Battle for Clean Air: Will Our Cities Ever Be Breathable Again?

    By: Rabia Khan, Rimsha Arif, and Yushma Umar
    Since 2016, smog has become the notorious ‘fifth season’ of Pakistan, characterized by high concentrations of air pollutants, low visibility and severe socio-economic disruptions. The road to breathable cities may be long but with strategic effort and investment, Pakistan can secure a safer and healthier future for its citizens.
  • Tax Pakistan

    Tax Reforms in Pakistan – Missing the Mark, Again.

    By: Yushma Umar and Rabia Khan
    There is considerable commentary on the problems with Pakistan’s taxation system. Despite efforts to reduce inefficiencies, our tax-to-GDP ratio remains below the Asia Pacific regional average ...
  • Pakistan's Children are not Learning; What Can We Do About It?

    Pakistan's Children are not Learning: What Can We Do About It?

    By: Dr. Zainab Salim
    Approximately 26 million children remain out-of-school in Pakistan. For those actually attending school, the quality of learning often falls short; many struggle to read grade-level texts even in their own language or to develop basic numeracy skills expected for their age. In 2022, 77% of children in Pakistan were in ‘learning poverty’ - to read and comprehend a simple, age-appropriate text by age 10.
  • Solar Panel Uptake: A Savior or A Recipe for Disaster?

    Solar Panel Uptake: A Savior or A Recipe for Disaster?

    By: Rimsha Arif
  • Insights and Lessons from Crisis: Bridging Educational Disparities

    Insights and Lessons from Crisis: Bridging Educational Disparities

    By: Faria Bibi
  • Girls’ Education: filling the gaps?

    Girls’ Education: filling the gaps?

    By: Hadia Majid
    Pakistan remains amongst the world’s bottom-ranked countries year after year in the Global Gender Gap Index. A plot of the sub-components of the Index for...
  • From Margins to Mainstream: Microfinance for Transgender Empowerment in Pakistan

    From Margins to Mainstream: Microfinance for Transgender Empowerment in Pakistan | The Friday Economist

    By: Eeman Shahzad Qureshi and Rimsha Arif
    In Pakistan, the transgender community, known as "Khawaja Siras," grapples with deep-rooted prejudice, violence, and marginalization, placing them among the most...

What's Happening at MHRC

Conference
Held on 11-13 September, the G²LM|LIC/Path2Dev/BREAD Conference on Development Economics 2025 gave leading global economists, policymakers, and…
Book Launch
In collaboration with the Chaudhry Nazar Muhammad Department of Economics and the Mahbub Ul Haq Research Centre at LUMS, the Brown Bag series marked…
Spotlight
Excited to launch the MHRC Spotlight Series where we highlight the exceptional work being done by our distinguished Fellows.

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MHRC's collaborative efforts extend across sectors, bridging the gap between academia and practical implementation.

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Mahbub ul Haq Research Centre at LUMS

Postal Address

LUMS

Sector U, DHA

Lahore Cantt, 54792, Pakistan

Office Hours

Mon. to Fri., 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Contact Information

T: +92-42-3560-8000

 

E: mhrc@lums.edu.pk