Appropriate feeding practices are crucial for survival, growth, and development in childhood. This study aims to identify risk factors associated with poor complementary feeding practices in Pakistani children. We analyzed Pakistan’s Demographic and Health Survey 2012–2013 using multi-level models to fit the multistage cluster sample of 2827 children aged 6–23 months from 489 communities. Timely introduction of solid, semi-solid or soft foods was achieved in 67% infants aged 6–8 months. Among children aged 6–23 months, the proportion of children meeting minimum meal frequency (MMF), dietary diversity (MDD) and acceptable diet (MAD) criteria were 63%, 22% and 15%, respectively. The mean (95%CI) dietary diversity score was 1.8 (1.7, 1.9), 2.6 (2.5, 2.7) and 3.0 (2.8, 3.1) food groups in children aged 6–11, 12–17 and 18–23 months, respectively. Consumption of legumes and nuts, flesh foods, and vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables was low in all children (6–19%), even among children who met the minimum dietary diversity criterion (15–55%). Younger child age, especially between 6–11 months, delayed maternal postnatal checkup and household poverty were significant individual-level risk factors that consistently increased the risk of not meeting the four criteria examined. Insufficient antenatal clinic visits (1–3 times) was independently associated with not introducing complementary foods on time and not meeting MMF. Additional significant risk factors associated with not meeting MDD and MAD included small perceived birth weight and younger maternal age. Community-level risk factors included living in the Punjab region and having poor access to maternal and child health care services. The overall quality of complementary diets in Pakistani children was very poor. This situation calls for stronger policy and program action to promote the consumption of key nutrient-dense foods, especially among 6–11 month old infants, while prioritizing interventions for the most vulnerable children and regions.