Pakistan ranked 161 among 191 countries on Human Development index

Pakistan has climbed three spots from 164 to 161 in the UN Human Development Index (HDI), scoring 0.544 points, as per the latest report unveiled on Thursday.

The development score considers various factors like health, education, and income, each measured on a scale from 0 to 1, to determine a country's overall development level.

Sri Lanka leads the way in South Asia with a high ranking of 73 and a score of 0.782. Bangladesh follows at 129 with 0.661 points, while India comes in at 132 with 0.633 points. Nepal is at 143, and Afghanistan ranked last in the region at 180 with 0.478 points, but scored a little higher than the 10 lowest countries.

South Sudan has the lowest ranking at 191 with a score of 0.385. Switzerland holds the top position with a much higher score of 0.962, followed closely by Norway at 0.961 points.

The HDI report suggested that development has returned to pre-pandemic levels but the effects of COVID-19 and the Ukraine war still loom over the global economy. 

It highlighted a widening gap between rich and poor countries, with developed nations accumulating more wealth while underdeveloped ones face increasing impoverishment. 

"The result is a dangerous gridlock that must be urgently tackled through collective action," the United Nations wrote on the microblogging site X.

According to the report, people express a strong desire for democracy, yet also support leaders whose policies could undermine its principles.