Abstract
Pakistan is counted among the countries which have a large portion of population living below poverty line. Poverty is a world-wide phenomenon, but South Asia is home to 44% of the poor of the world. Several approaches to address the predicament of poverty have been explored by economists, intellectuals and experts. There is, by and large, a consensus among contemporary economists that ‘empowerment of people’ through education, adequate professional and citizenship skills, is a more sustainable and assured path towards reduction of poverty in any society. The paper in hand aims at analyzing the existing state of poverty in Pakistan, major weaknesses in policy-prioritization in our country and their effects on the society. The underlying assumption of the study is that ‘empowerment of people’ is a pre-requisite for alleviation of poverty. The paper argues that the policy-makers, intelligentsia and media should work towards a fundamental shift in prioritization of policies, which should focus more on investment in ‘human capital’. The strength of any nation lies in its citizens, not in weapons and arsenal. The citizens with sound education and adequate citizenship skills are a reliable guarantee of national security and pride.