Addressing Land Inequality in Pakistan's Rural Economy

Land is a critical asset in Pakistan’s rural economy, not only as a means of production but also as a determinant of social identity, power, and opportunity. Yet, land distribution remains starkly unequal, with significant consequences for economic development and rural livelihoods. The top 5% of landowners in Pakistan control nearly 62% of the country’s agricultural land, while the vast majority, around 64% of rural households, own less than 2 hectares or no land at all (World Bank, 2023; FAO, 2022). This extreme concentration of landownership entrenches rural poverty, limits upward mobility, and exacerbates food insecurity. For millions of landless farmers and sharecroppers, lack of secure tenure means limited access to credit, weak bargaining power, and little incentive to invest in sustainable farming practices.

This inequality has historical roots that continue to shape present realities. During British colonial rule, land was concentrated through the Zamindari and Jagirdari systems, which rewarded loyalty with large estates and institutionalized a class of absentee landlords (Lodhi, 2007). These systems laid the groundwork for Pakistan’s enduring feudal structure. Post-independence land reform efforts in the 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s aimed to redistribute land to smallholders and tenants, but they were largely unsuccessful. Powerful elites often used legal loopholes, political influence, and bureaucratic manipulation to subvert the reforms. For example, landowners would divide large holdings among family members or forge records to remain within redistribution limits (Gazdar & Mallah, 2021).

The persistence of land inequality undermines rural development and fuels discontent, particularly among youth and marginalized communities. Without meaningful land reform, the cycle of poverty and exclusion will continue. Addressing this issue requires bold political will, transparent land governance, and policies that support equitable access to land for small farmers, women, and landless workers who form the backbone of Pakistan’s rural economy.

Quantifying Land Inequality and Landlessness in Pakistan

Land inequality in Pakistan reflects not only disparities in ownership but also entrenched structural exclusion. A key tool used to assess this inequality is the Gini coefficient, where a score of 0 signifies perfect equality and 1 indicates total inequality. For landowners alone, Pakistan’s Gini coefficient stands at 0.67, underscoring the high concentration of land among a small elite (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2023). However, this measure becomes even more alarming when landless rural workers are included. Factoring in the millions without any landholding, the coefficient spikes to 0.84 (PIDE, 2024), signaling one of the highest levels of land inequality globally.

Recent data reveals a worsening trend. Between 2015 and 2023, landlessness increased by 8%, and inequality among landowners rose by another 2% (Pakistan Economic Survey, 2023). These changes are not marginally point to deepening rural disparities that threaten social cohesion, food security, and economic resilience.

Landlessness now affects 42% of rural households (HRCP, 2023). Those without land typically work as tenant farmers, sharecroppers, or daily-wage agricultural laborers. Their livelihoods are precarious, often governed by informal arrangements with little legal protection. Many faces exploitative conditions, including verbal tenancy agreements, sudden eviction, and debt cycles that verge on bondage (Amnesty International, 2022). Without ownership or secure tenure, landless workers are excluded from government support programs, agricultural credit, and the ability to make long-term investments in productivity or sustainability.

This structural exclusion reinforces intergenerational poverty and denies millions of Pakistanis the right to dignified livelihoods. Accurately measuring and acknowledging both land inequality and landlessness is critical for crafting policies that promote equitable development. Without addressing the vast rural land divide, efforts to improve agricultural productivity, reduce poverty, or foster inclusive growth will remain fundamentally incomplete.

Regional Disparities and Social Impacts of Land Inequality in Pakistan

Land inequality in Pakistan is shaped not only by historical and legal frameworks but also by stark regional and ecological variations. Across the country, land access and ownership patterns are deeply uneven, reflecting differences in geography, governance, and agrarian structures. In Punjab, particularly in the irrigated regions, the landlessness rate stands at 35%, with large landholdings concentrated among political and economic elites (PBS, 2023). Sindh presents an even grimmer picture, landlessness reaches 66% in many zamindari-dominated districts, where feudal structures persist and tenant rights remain weak (World Bank, 2022).

In Balochistan, an arid and sparsely populated province, the landlessness rate is 45%. While large landholdings are less common, productivity is extremely low, and access to land and water is tightly controlled by tribal elites. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in tribal and mountainous areas, shows a lower landlessness rate of 20%, largely due to customary and communal land ownership patterns that offer broader, albeit informal, access to land.

The consequences of these disparities are profound. Landless households are three times more likely to live in poverty compared to those with secure landholdings (UNDP, 2023). Food insecurity is widespread, 58% of landless families report chronic shortages and poor nutrition (WFP, 2023). Gender inequality further compounds the issue: although women contribute approximately 70% of agricultural labor, only 4% hold land titles (FAO, 2023), leaving them excluded from decision-making and economic empowerment.

The lack of secure land rights also fuels social conflict. Land disputes account for nearly 30% of all court cases in rural Pakistan (HRCP, 2023), creating legal bottlenecks and community-level tensions. Addressing regional variations and their socioeconomic fallout is essential for building a more inclusive, resilient, and equitable rural economy. Without tackling these structural divides, broader development goals will remain out of reach.

Addressing Land Inequality through Policy Reform in Pakistan

Land inequality in Pakistan persists largely due to entrenched policy gaps, institutional inertia, and elite capture of agrarian reforms. Despite multiple waves of land reform since independence, implementation has remained weak and inconsistent. Redistribution laws, though present on paper, are rarely enforced due to a lack of political will and strong resistance from powerful landholding elites. Many large landowners continue to exert significant influence over policymaking, effectively blocking reform efforts and preserving existing inequalities.

Administrative challenges further compound the problem. Land records across the country are outdated, fragmented, and often manipulated. As of 2023, only 30% of land records have been digitized (World Bank, 2023), leaving ample room for corruption and disputes. Tenants and sharecroppers face particularly precarious conditions, often working under informal arrangements without legal protections or security of tenure. Arbitrary avoidances, exploitative contracts, and lack of grievance mechanisms remain widespread.

To address these challenges, a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach is essential. Legal and tenancy reforms must be prioritized, strengthening protections for tenants, ensuring enforcement of inheritance laws, and safeguarding women's rights to own and inherit land. Redistributive measures, such as enforcing land ceilings and allocating surplus land transparently to landless farmers, are also crucial for equity and productivity.

Technology offers promising tools for reform. Full digitization of land records by 2025 and the use of GIS and satellite mapping can help curb land grabbing and increase transparency. Additionally, targeted support for landless workers, through microcredit, vocational training, and cooperative farming initiatives, can create alternative pathways to economic security.

Gender inclusion must also be a cornerstone of reform. Joint land titles for married couples and public awareness campaigns can empower women in rural communities. Only through bold, inclusive, and enforceable policies can Pakistan close its rural land gap and foster a more just and resilient agricultural future.

Conclusion

Land inequality and landlessness remain among the most pressing structural challenges in Pakistan’s rural economy. Despite decades of reform attempts, the entrenched concentration of land ownership continues to marginalize smallholders, tenant farmers, women, and millions of landless workers. This persistent disparity undermines agricultural productivity, deepens rural poverty, fuels food insecurity, and perpetuates social conflict. The situation is further exacerbated by regional disparities, outdated land governance systems, and a lack of political will to implement meaningful change.

Addressing these challenges requires a transformative and sustained policy effort that goes beyond rhetoric. Legal and institutional reforms must be enforced to secure land rights, protect tenants, and ensure women’s access to land. Redistribution of surplus land, technological modernization of land records, and targeted support for landless communities are essential steps toward building an equitable agrarian structure. Without these reforms, Pakistan risks continuing a cycle of exclusion, inefficiency, and rural discontent.

Equitable land access is not merely a matter of justice, it is a prerequisite for sustainable development, food security, and inclusive economic growth. The time has come for Pakistan to move from symbolic gestures to substantive action. Bridging the land divide is not only possible, but also necessary for the prosperity and stability of the nation’s rural heartland.

References: Amnesty International; FAO; Gazdar & Mallah; Government of Pakistan; HRCP; PIDE; UNDP; World Bank; Lodhi; Pakistan Bureau of Statistics; WFP

Please note that the views expressed in this article are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of any organization.

The writer is affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam Sindh, Pakistan and can be reached at duaakhanlaghari14@gmail.com

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