ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: Poverty has shown an increasing trend in the last decade and the percentage of people living under the poverty line has doubled between 1987-88 and 1998-99.

This was stated by the director of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), Dr A R Kemal, at a five-day workshop on poverty analysis, monitoring and evaluation.

The workshop, which started on August 19 was organized by the PIDE and the World Bank Institute at a hotel in Bhurban.

The director said the situation demanded an increasing focus on poverty analysis, monitoring and evaluation.

“It was perceived that a considerable need existed to increase the capacity of poverty analysis and to bring about a consensus among them on the definitions and methodologies of determining poverty line”.