Pakistan Hunger Rank 2026: Second Worst in South Asia Revealed

Pakistan – (Staff Reporter/Web Desk) – The Pakistan hunger rank 2026 has raised fresh worries about food and health in the country. The new Global Hunger Index (GHI) places Pakistan second worst in South Asia, behind only Afghanistan.

Pakistan scored 25.5 on the index. The report calls this a serious level of hunger.

Afghanistan has the highest score in the region at 28.6. The South Asia average is 23.5, while the global score is 18.1. This means Pakistan sits above both the regional and world averages.

Globally, Pakistan ranks 106th out of 122 countries with enough data to calculate a score. That puts it in the lower part of the list.

There is some good news in the report. Pakistan’s score was 36.2 in 2000 and has now dropped to 25.5. This shows real progress over the last two and a half decades. Even so, the pace of change is still not fast enough to remove the risk of hunger.

The GHI score is built from four measures. These are undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality.

Undernourishment shows how many people do not get enough calories to eat. In Pakistan, 16.1 percent of the population falls in this group.

Child stunting means a child is too short for their age. It points to long-term lack of proper food. The report says 33.6 percent of Pakistani children under five are stunted.

Child wasting means a child weighs too little for their height. It shows a sudden or short-term shortage of food. About 9.8 percent of children under five in Pakistan are wasted.

Child mortality counts children who die before their fifth birthday. The report puts this figure at 5.6 percent for Pakistan.

These numbers show that poor nutrition is still a big problem for young children. When children do not eat well in early years, their growth, health and learning can suffer for life.

The report also arrives at a difficult time for households. Only days ago, the International Monetary Fund shared its latest World Economic Outlook.

The lender expects Pakistan’s inflation to rise to 9.9 percent in the 2026-27 fiscal year. In 2025-26, the figure was 7.1 percent.

Higher prices can make it harder for families to buy basic food. Many people may cut back on healthy items like milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables. This can add more pressure on children and mothers.

Experts often say that food security needs more than one fix. Better farming support, steady prices, health care and clean water all play a part. Strong help for mothers and young children is also important.

The latest ranking is a clear reminder for policymakers. Pakistan has moved forward since 2000, but the gap is still wide. Without faster action, millions of people may continue to struggle for enough safe and healthy food.

For now, the Pakistan hunger rank 2026 stands as a warning and a chance to act. Clear plans, careful spending and steady monitoring can help lower hunger in the years ahead.