During last 10 years: 77 percent of Pakistanis believe poverty has increased

An overwhelming majority (77 percent) of Pakistanis believe that poverty has increased in the country during the last decade, revealed a survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan. According to the survey, 77 percent of Pakistanis are of the opinion that poverty has increased in the country, while nearly half of Pakistanis (47 percent) believe that the trend of helping the poor has decreased during the decade (2001 to 2011.
The survey was conducted during the month of January 2011. The sample of the survey was 2,738, which included men and women living in rural and urban areas of all the provinces of the country. Respondents of the survey were asked the following question: "In your opinion has poverty increased or decreased in the last ten years in Pakistan, while poverty here refers to those people who cannot afford daily two times meal or have no shelter?"
According to the survey results, 77 percent say that poverty has increased in Pakistan in the past decade, 12 percent believe it has remained the same, while 11 percent are of the view that it has decreased. The following follow up question was also asked from the respondents:
"What do you believe the trend of helping and supporting the poor has increased or decreased?" According to the results, 47 percent are of the opinion that the trend of helping the poor has decreased, 28 percent say it has remained unchanged, while 24 percent believe it has increased and one percent of the respondents gave no response.