Islamabad (Commerce Desk): A recent survey has revealed a significant increase in Pakistani households relying on aid, gifts, and remittances to cover daily expenses over the past five years.
According to the Household Economic Survey, dependence on aid and gifts rose from 2.12% to 4.57%, marking a 115% increase in five years. Similarly, reliance on remittances for household expenditures grew by 57%, rising from 4.96% to 7.77%.
The data indicates that in urban areas, 50.27% of individuals rely primarily on salaries, while 20.36% depend on non-agricultural activities. In rural areas, crops contribute 11.73% to household income, while livestock-related income accounts for a substantial 94.11%.
The survey also showed a 45% increase in dependence on pensions and social insurance, which rose from 3.01% to 3.80%. Dependence on non-agricultural activities increased slightly from 15.91% to 16.25%.
Experts say these figures reflect a shift in traditional sources of household income due to rising economic pressures and inflation, highlighting growing reliance on alternative financial support.
