An Investigation of Multidimensional Energy Poverty in Pakistan: A Province Level Analysis

Abstract

Present study employs Alkire and Foster’s (2007) methodology to measure Multidimensional Energy Poverty (MEP) at provincial level in Pakistan. MEP Headcount has been calculated using PSLM data. Indoor pollution is found to be the largest contributor to MEP Headcount in all four provinces of Pakistan while cooking fuel is the second largest contributor. Results of MEP Headcount show that 47%, 51%, 69% and 66% of the households residing in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtoon Khaw (KPK) and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan respectively are energy poor. Households of all the four provinces are most deprived in the dimension of indoor pollution i.e. in the range of 49% to 63% followed by cooking fuel i.e. in the range of 35% to 59%. Deprivation is least in the dimension of home appliances for all provinces except Baluchistan which is least deprived in entertainment appliances dimension.   Keywords: Multidimensional Energy Poverty; poverty measurement; decomposability; deprivation; Pakistan. JEL Classifications: D12; I32; O13; Q47