Afghanistan, April 18 -- A recent study published in the Humanities and Social Sciences Communications by Wajiha Haq and colleagues has provided a deeper understanding of poverty in Pakistan. This study measures poverty using not just money, but also education, health, and living standards, and finds that 24% of the population is suffering from multiple deprivations. Education is the area where people are struggling the most, which has serious effects on the nation's youth and their future employment prospects.

This widespread poverty has had some unfortunate side effects, including the misuse of pilgrim visas by Pakistani nationals. These visas are meant for religious pilgrimages to sacred places in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran, but are...