- Balochistan bears highest proportional hunger burden.
- Lean season worsens access and incomes.
- Six-month outlook shows slight improvement.
A new assessment by the United Nations warns that 7.5 million people in Pakistan are facing acute food insecurity and malnutrition after a year marked by monsoon flooding, prolonged drought and a surge in militant violence.
At the most severe end of the scale, between December and March 2026, around 1.25 million people are projected to face “emergency” levels of acute food insecurity, marked by large food consumption gaps and high levels of acute malnutrition, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report said.
Immediate, life-saving assistance is required to avert a humanitarian catastrophe for more than one million people currently classified in emergency food insecurity, the report added.
Residual 2025 monsoon flood impacts, drought, and localised insecurity have weakened agriculture and pastoral livelihoods, reduced production, disrupted markets, and squeezed coping capacity.
Seasonal factors have also added to the crisis, with the lean season (December to February) reducing farm labour and income opportunities, and in some areas, harsh winter conditions have further constrained access and livelihoods.
Food access has been particularly constrained by weak purchasing power, heavy reliance on markets, price volatility and rising household debt. Wheat flour has also been flagged as a key concern during the lean season.
Large variations in conditions have led to higher concentrations of hunger in specific regions.
The IPC analysis — covering 45 vulnerable areas and about 15% of Pakistan’s population — shows that Balochistan carries the highest proportional burden, with 25% of the analysed population facing at least high levels of food insecurity.
In Sindh, more than three million people are experiencing high levels of food insecurity, while in the districts of Musakhel, Zhob, Kachi, Tank and Torghar, around 30% of residents are classified in at least high food-insecurity phases.
For the period from April to September 2026, the report projects that 6.7 million people will face high or worse levels of food insecurity, representing a decline of about 855,000 from the current period.
Although several drivers are expected to persist — including elevated staple food prices, climatic risks, insecurity and cross-border trade disruptions — seasonal factors such as winter crop harvesting and Eid-related livestock sales could temporarily ease pressure, the report noted.
However, the report cautioned that the apparent year-on-year decline should be interpreted carefully, as the geographic coverage of the assessment has been reduced from 68 districts last year to 45 this year. The prevalence of acute malnutrition is assessed to remain broadly unchanged.
To narrow food consumption gaps and protect lives, the report called for scaling up access to sufficient and nutritious food through appropriate delivery modalities, including cash and voucher assistance alongside targeted in-kind food distributions.
