Only 14% of Pakistanis believe the country’s economy is strong, according to a new survey conducted by Ipsos, highlighting continued concerns about economic conditions and household financial pressures. The latest findings show that public perception of economic strength has weakened compared with the previous quarter, when around one in five respondents held a positive view. The six percentage point decline indicates that economic confidence remains fragile despite signs of cautious improvement in some personal expectations. The survey found relatively stronger confidence among men, adults, upper-income groups and respondents living in Punjab and Sindh, while overall perceptions continued to reflect concerns about the wider economic environment.
Expectations about the future economy also remained limited, with only one in four respondents saying they expected the economy to strengthen. Optimism was relatively higher among urban and affluent respondents, as well as participants from Balochistan. However, the overall level of optimism indicates that a large proportion of the population remains uncertain about the direction of economic conditions. The findings suggest that while some respondents expect improvement, expectations have not yet translated into broad confidence about the economy or stronger willingness to make major financial commitments.
Inflation remained the leading concern among respondents, cited by 69% of those surveyed. Although the proportion was nine percentage points lower than the previous quarter, inflation continued to rank well ahead of other issues affecting the public. Unemployment and poverty followed among the major concerns, while electricity prices also remained a significant issue. Concern over electricity prices increased by nine percentage points to 35%, demonstrating the growing pressure associated with household energy costs. Electricity load-shedding also entered the top five public concerns, overtaking additional taxation in the latest survey.
The survey findings on fuel management further reflected public concerns about the government’s handling of essential economic issues. In a separate Ipsos survey, only one in three Pakistanis said they believed the government had effectively ensured fuel availability. Meanwhile, two in five respondents considered the government’s management of fuel prices ineffective, compared with three in 10 who viewed its performance as effective. These perceptions add to the wider concerns surrounding prices and access to essential goods and services, particularly as households continue to assess their financial position against changes in living costs.
Confidence in investment and employment also remained weak in the latest findings. Only 15% of respondents said they were confident about making investments, while 16% expressed confidence in their job security. The job-security figure returned to the level recorded in August 2024, indicating that concerns over employment stability remain significant. Low confidence in investment suggests that many Pakistanis remain cautious about committing their financial resources, while the weak job-security reading indicates continued uncertainty among workers about the stability of their incomes and employment prospects.
The survey also found that only one in four Pakistanis believed the country was moving in the right direction. Regional responses showed notable differences, with 31% of respondents in Balochistan holding this view, followed by 26% in Punjab, 21% in Sindh and 14% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These figures show that perceptions of the country’s direction vary across provinces, although the national result indicates that a majority of respondents remain unconvinced that the country is currently moving in a positive direction.
Household spending confidence remained weak as well, with only one in 10 respondents saying they were comfortable making household purchases. While this figure improved compared with the previous quarter, the overall level remained low, indicating that consumers continue to exercise caution over spending. At the same time, the proportion of respondents expressing a positive view of their personal financial situation fell by 12 percentage points to 19%. The combination of weak spending confidence and declining perceptions of personal finances points to continued pressure on household budgets.
Ipsos Pakistan Managing Director Abdul Sattar described the third-quarter findings as reflecting cautious recovery rather than broad-based confidence. He said economic pressures continued to dominate public concerns, even though expectations at the personal level showed some improvement. According to Sattar, weak confidence in investment, major purchases and job security indicates that Pakistanis have not yet reached a point where improved expectations are translating into stronger financial commitments.
The latest Ipsos findings therefore present a mixed picture of Pakistan’s economic sentiment. While inflation concerns have eased from the previous quarter and household spending confidence has shown some improvement, only a small proportion of respondents view the economy as strong. Low confidence in investment, employment security and major purchases continues to weigh on the overall outlook, while electricity costs, load-shedding, unemployment and poverty remain prominent public concerns. The survey suggests that improvements in economic sentiment will depend not only on broader economic conditions but also on whether households begin to experience greater financial security and stability in their daily lives.
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