Understanding poverty through the eyes of low-salaried government employees: A case study of the NED University of Engineering and Technology

Abstract

Poverty is a huge, complex and confusing term. We explore this problem from the realities, experiences, and perspective of low-salaried government employees. The main purpose of this study is to provide a detailed account of the living conditions of low-salaried government employees (BPS 1-5) working in the NED University of Engineering and Technology Karachi vis-à-vis the increasing cost of living and deteriorating real incomes. The study also examines the major causes of poverty among low-salaried government employees and also determines their perception of poverty. The study finds that poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon; the perception of poverty and its causes vary from person-to-person and group-to-group. © The Pakistan Development Review.