Pakistan Falls to 168th on Human Development Index

Nadeem Tanoli

Islamabad: Pakistan’s human development indicators have declined sharply, with the government confirming in Parliament that the country now ranks 168th out of 193 nations in the UNDP Human Development Report 2025—its lowest position in recent years.

The ranking reflects worsening outcomes in education, health, and income.

Responding to a question from Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry said Pakistan’s Human Development Index (HDI) has steadily fallen over the past three reporting cycles, dropping from 161 in 2020–21 to 164 in 2023–24, before plunging to 168 in the latest report.

He attributed the decline to economic pressures, the lingering effects of the 2022 floods, chronic underinvestment in education and healthcare, a heavy debt burden, and a weak tax base, which limits government spending on social sectors.

The Minister highlighted that the government is taking steps to reverse the trend through targeted interventions in education and health. He said the Annual Plan 2025–26 reinforces the commitment to free and compulsory education and aligns national policy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Focus areas include expanding girls’ education, establishing additional Daanish Schools in disadvantaged districts, and implementing the URAAN Pakistan initiative to link education reforms with broader economic transformation under the government’s 5Es framework.

Higher education reforms are also underway to enhance quality, access, relevance, and institutional performance.

On health, Minister Iqbal said Pakistan is scaling up Universal Health Coverage and executing reforms outlined in the 13th Five Year Plan (2024–2029), which sets unified national targets for the sector.

Disease-specific programs, including the Prime Minister’s National Diabetes Mellitus Control Program and the national initiative to eliminate Hepatitis-C, aim to improve long-term population health outcomes.

Despite these plans, experts and lawmakers warned that current reforms may not be enough to halt Pakistan’s decline in human development.

They cautioned that without substantial increases in social-sector investment, stronger institutions, and measurable improvements in service delivery, Pakistan’s HDI ranking could continue to fall, leaving the country further behind in global comparisons.