Sir: Poverty in Pakistan continues to be a source of distress for the country. According to the latest World Bank reports, Pakistan is ranked at number 43 in the list of countries most exposed to poverty. In view of the Human Development Index, about 63 percent of the people in the country earn less than two dollars per day and around 23 percent live on under one dollar per day. Unequal distribution of income in Pakistan is a major underlying cause of poverty in the country. About 10 percent of the total population earns 27 percent of the total income of the country. Another World Bank report highlights the fact that 37.4 percent of the children in Pakistan below the age of five are underfed. The Pakistan Planning Commission has revealed that the poverty rate in Pakistan has increased by 14 percent in the previous three years. The major reason for poverty in Pakistan is lack of governance. When people do not have confidence in a country’s government they are not willing to invest in such an economy. Reduced investment means lesser employment opportunities, which directly results in poverty. Moreover, the decrease in the GDP growth rate is a vital source for the rise in the poverty levels. Poverty also depends on the structure on which a society is based. In Pakistan, land ownership is highly unequally distributed amongst the rural population, which creates an income gap within the rural sector. Although rising poverty levels in Pakistan is an alarming situation, it is not something that cannot be curtailed. Politicians need to stop fighting over their position in the government and start concentrating on solving the issues surrounding the country amongst which poverty is one. There is a need for considerable effort to increase jobs and employment opportunities for the people. The government should focus on investing in developing infrastructure, which would automatically create jobs in the country. Other than that, efforts should be made to improve the law and order situation in the country so that there is a revival of business activities. M OSAMA AFNAN HANAFI Karachi