The act of giving

Are the people of Pakistan kind? The 2025 World Happiness Report ranked Pakistan 109th out of 147 surveyed countries. While less happy than many other nations, Pakistan remains one of the happiest countries in South Asia.

Generosity and kindness were identified as significant predictors of happiness. Acts of charity are deeply embedded in religious traditions, particularly during Ramazan. In 2024, four out of ten people reported making donations, as per the report. However, the rate of helping strangers was even higher, with nearly half of respondents saying they had offered assistance.

While acts of charity and spontaneous kindness come naturally to many, the rate of volunteering is much lower. Giving money or extending a one-time helping hand is often easier than committing to regular volunteer work. This was echoed in The Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) report ‘Pakistan Giving Index 2021’, which said that though Pakistanis are inherently charitable, they focus on donations rather than volunteering.

In 2023, corporations in Pakistan donated Rs23.65 billion, according to the PCP. However, no official data exists on individuals doling out charity. The PCP’s research indicated that, on average, an adult donates around Rs10,000 annually — most often to people they know personally, such as household staff or a beggar at a traffic signal.

The act of giving has always been celebrated. However, Trump 2.0 has been changing that with American aid suspended in countries around the world. One argument goes that giving aid dwarfs people’s ability for growth, making them dependent on handouts. After billions of dollars have been spent over the years, there seems to be little on-ground progress.

There are also concerns about the accountability and transparency of charitable organisations. The government has banned 84 organisations and urged citizens not to donate to them.

Then, there is the argument against consumptive aid. Should one offer free food to grown healthy men? However, in a country where the minimum wage is not implemented, much less a living wage, can the well-off be insulated against the immediate demands of consumptive charity such as food?

Ultimately, kindness in Pakistan is not in question. The real challenge is ensuring that generosity translates into sustainable change rather than a mere cycle of short-term relief.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, March 24th, 2025