Informal food systems as cultural capital: a policy framework for urban food security and livelihoods in Pakistan

Informal economies often serve as the unseen drivers of urban food security in the Global South, significantly contributing to poverty alleviation (SDG 1) and Zero Hunger (SDG 2). This dynamic is particularly evident in Pakistan, where the shadow economy is estimated at approximately $450 billion. Yet, the street food sector, a vibrant component of this landscape, remains largely overlooked in formal food systems planning. Moving beyond the conventional view of street food as merely a regulatory