Pakistan’s overall literacy rate stands at 63 %, the lowest among South Asian countries, according to a review report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) based on data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and the World Bank.
The report states that Pakistan continues to lag behind the region in literacy indicators. Compared to 2018–19, the country has seen only a three percent increase in its literacy rate, highlighting slow progress in the education sector.
According to the report, Maldives leads South Asia with a literacy rate of 98 %, followed by Sri Lanka at 93 %, India at 87 %, and Bangladesh at 79 %. The average literacy rate across South Asia is 78 percent, which is significantly higher than Pakistan’s national average.
FAFEN’s analysis further reveals a stark gender gap in literacy, with 73 % of men being literate compared to only 54 % of women. Provincially, Punjab has the highest literacy rate at 68 percent, while Balochistan ranks lowest at 49 %.
The report also notes that youth literacy in Pakistan stands at 77 %, whereas literacy among the adult population is 60 %.
FAFEN emphasized that under Article 25-A of the Constitution, the provision of education is the responsibility of the state. It added that Pakistan is also committed to ensuring quality education under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
