Pakistan ranks lowest in South Asia on literacy despite slow gains, FAFEN says

Review shows literacy at 63%, well below regional average of 78%

Pakistan remains the lowest-ranked country in South Asia for literacy, with 63% of people aged 10 and above able to read and write, according to a new review by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

The review draws on official survey data from the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement-Household Integrated Economic Survey (PSLM–HEIS) 2024–2025 and compares Pakistan’s performance with World Bank literacy figures for the region.

It shows literacy has risen from 60% in 2018-2019 to 63% in 2024-2025, an increase of three percentage points in around six years. Analysts described the pace of improvement as “alarmingly slow” for a country of more than 240 million people.

Regionally, the review places the Maldives at over 98% adult literacy, followed by Sri Lanka at 93%, India at 87% and Bangladesh at 79%. Nepal stands at 68% and Bhutan at 65%, while the South Asian average is 78% -- 15 percentage points higher than Pakistan.

Read: WB warns of Pakistan's failing growth model

The data also highlights sharp disparities within Pakistan. Male literacy stands at 73%, compared with 54% for women. Punjab has the highest provincial literacy rate at 68%, while Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are both at 58%. Balochistan records the lowest rate at 49%.

Youth literacy, covering ages 15 to 24, is reported at 77%, but overall adult literacy for those aged 15 and above lags at 60%, pointing to persistent gaps in education and skills among older age groups.

FAFEN noted that the survey defines a “literate” person as someone aged 10 or above who can read and understand a simple statement and write a simple sentence.

The organisation also pointed to Article 25A of Pakistan’s Constitution, which guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged five to 16. It said education became a provincial subject after the 18th Amendment, while Pakistan is also committed to the United Nations’ education targets under the Sustainable Development Goals.