Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT xxi
AJK
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
CAC
Census Advisory Committee
CATI
Computer Assisted Telephonic Interview
CCI
Council of Common Interests
CDO
Census District Officer
CMC
Census Monitoring Committee
ERP
Enterprise Resource Planning
FATA
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
G2G
Government to Government
GB
Gilgit-Baltistan
GDP
Gross Domestic Product
GFCF
Gross Fixed Capital Formation
GIS
Geographic Information System
GVA
Gross Value Added
ICT
Islamabad Capital Territory
IT
Information Technology
KP
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
MDM
Mobile Device Management
MoU
Memorandum of Understanding
N3C
National Census Coordination Center
NADRA
National Database and Registration Authority
NCR
National Census Report
NGO
Non-government Organization
NTC
National Telecom Corporation
NTC
National Telecom Corporation
NTISB
National Telecommunication and Information Technology
Security Board
PBS
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
PC
Personal Computer
PDSI
Planning, Development and Special initiatives
PES
Post Enumeration Survey
POIs
Points of Interest
PPRA
Public Procurement Regulatory Authority
PSIC
Pakistan Standard Industrial Classification
PSLM
Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey
PU
Punjab University
QRF
Quick Reaction Force
SDS
Software-defined Storage
SIM
Subscribers Identity Module
SOPs
Standard Operating Procedures
SRS
Software Requirements Specification
SUPARCO
Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
TORs
Terms of Reference
UAJ&K
The University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir
UoP
University of Peshawar
UTN
Unique Token Number
VHR
Very High Resolution
VPN
Virtual Private Network
Acronyms
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT 1
1 Executive Summary
BACKGROUND OF THE CENSUS
The Sixth Population and Housing Census in Pakistan was originally scheduled for October
2008 but was conducted much later, from March to May 2017, due to various challenges and
delays. Approval of the final census results was further delayed until 2021 due to controversies
over the reported figures. However, in its 45 th meeting on 12th April, 2021, the Council of
Common Interests (CCI) finally approved the results and decided that the process of the next
census should start as early as possible according to the international best practices by using
the latest technology.
Accordingly, Government of Pakistan constituted Census Advisory Committee
comprising of renowned demographers and experts to devise recommendations for the 7 th
Population and Housing Census. The Committee held several meetings and after detailed
deliberations finalized the recommendations to carry out the census ‘digitally’ with real -time
monitoring for transparency and broader acceptability. The CCI in its 49th meeting held on 13th
January, 2022 approved the recommendations of Census Advisory Committee , census work
plan with timeli nes, census questionnaire, and Census Monitoring Committee along with its
comprehensive TORs.
In the light of the recommendations of Census Advisory Committee , PBS initiated a
consultative process with provinces as well as academia and researchers and organized
sensitization workshops for stakeholders and government functionaries , including Divisional
Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners , to plan and prepare for the 7th Population and
Housing Census.
To meet the requirements of a digital census, Census Coordination Center (N3C) was
established at PBS headquarters to coordinate and monitor the census process in real time.
Contracts were signed on Government to Government basis with consulting agencies,
NADRA, NTC, and SUPARCO on a G2G basis after the due process for procuring census
hardware and allied accessories, s oftware, datacenter infrastructure, technical support for
Census Support Centers, establishment of Call Center and provision of GIS imagery. Census
Support Centers were set up at the Census District level (tehsils in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, and administrative districts in other regions) with the required IT equipment,
furniture, and fixtures to ensure the system operated smoothly 24/7. PBS technical staff were
assigned to these centers to provide coordination and support to field enumerators and
supervisors.
Based on the recommendations of the Census Advisory Committee, a technical
committee was formed to finalize the questionnaire for the 7th Population and Housing Census.
The committee developed two forms: the house listing form and the main census enumeration
form, incorporating extended and new questions on economic activity, demographics, and
disability characteristics. To comprehensively explain census concepts and procedures, various
manuals were prepared, supported by video clips and audio messages. To ensure field staff
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
2 NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT
were well-trained and understood the questionnaire thoroughly, a three -tier training plan was
implemented: master trainers were trained in Islamabad, trainers at the divisional level, and
enumerators at the tehsil level.
CENSUS METHODOLOGY
After detailed deliberations on the advantages and disadvantages of both defacto and dejure
methodologies, the Census Advisory Committee recommended the dejure method of
enumeration for the 7th Population and Housing Census. This decision considered the practical
realities on the ground, the effectiveness of the dejure method, and the significant financial and
human resource requirements of the de facto method.
The dejure method counts individuals based on their usual residence, defined as the
place where they have lived continuously for at least six months or intend to live for the next
six months. Temporary residents were not counted at their current location b ut at their usual
place of residence. Similarly, individuals temporarily away for religious events, weddings, or
training for less than six months were counted at their usual residence.
The 7 th Population and Housing Census, simiar to the previous censuses, primarily
followed the dejure concept, however, the "homeless" population due to its nature was
enumerated on a defacto basis.
PILOT CENSUS
While technological advancements have significantly streamlined the process of conducting a
population census, they also bring certain risks and challenges. If not carefully managed, these
risks can result in increased costs, delays in the census schedule, or compromised data quality.
Therefore, a pilot census is a prerequisite and an integral part of the census process, particularly
when new methodologies are introduced. A pilot census involves testing the coverage of areas
and populations during the preparatory stages to assess the validity and suitability of the entire
census plan and its organization. Its main objective is to evaluate, in real-world conditions, the
cartography, methodology, organizational structure, data collection methods, questionnaire
design, logistical planning, and the interaction and coordination of all resources involved in the
census.
For the 7th Population and Housing Census, PBS conducted a pilot census from July 20
to August 3, 2022, across 33 administrative districts in Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and
Kashmir and Gilgit -Baltistan. Master Trainers received three days of training at PBS
headquarters from July 5-7, 2022, followed by field training for enumerators at 27 stations from
July 13-17, 2022. Enumeration and supervisory staff were provided by the respective district
administrations.
To ensure security, approximately 7,000 personnel from the Armed Forces, Civil
Armed Forces, and Police were deployed. Additionally, 150 Quick Reaction Force centers were
established, with the Civil Armed Forces and Pakistan Army serving as second - and third-tier
responders, respectively.
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT 3
The pilot census was initially planned to cover 417 blocks; however, three were dropped at the
outset without any field activity. Of the remaining 414 blocks, 368 were fully enumerated,
while 46 were partially enumerated —60% coverage —due to challenges such as rain, large
block sizes, delays in tablet provision, battery issues, and mapping errors. The main issues and
shortcomings identified during the pilot census were thoroughly analyzed, with
recommendations proposed and suitable measures implemented to address them before the full
rollout of the 7th Population and Housing Census.
FIELD OPERATION
The data collection process for the 7th Population and Housing Census began with the launch
of a web portal for self-enumeration on 20th February 2023. By its closure on 10th March 2023,
approximately 2.6 million individuals had submitted their data through the portal.
For the main census field operation, house and structure listing was carried out from 1st
to 10th March 2023, followed by field enumeration starting on 12th March 2023, with an initial
completion date of 4th April 2023. However, at the request of provincial governments to ensure
complete enumeration, the Census Monitoring Committee extended the census field operation
multiple times, ultimately concluding on 30th April 2023. In some districts, the field operation
continued until 21st May, 2023, to ensure complete coverage, considering the existing ground
realities.
Regarding the security of census field staff, the first -tier security, which involved
accompanying enumerators, was the responsibility of the respective Provincial Home
Departments through their Police, Frontier Constabulary, and Levies. The Civil Armed Forces
and Pakistan Army were deployed as second- and third-tier responders.
To assess the accuracy and coverage of the 7th Population and Housing Census, Post
Enumeration Survey was conducted from 8th to 19th July 2023, as per the decisions made in the
49th meeting of the CCI and the 15th-16th meetings of the Census Monitoring Committee.
FINAL RESULTS
The final summary results of the 7th Population and Housing Census, incorporating the findings
of the Post Enumeration Survey, were submitted to the CCI for approval on 2 nd August 2023.
In its 50th meeting on 5th August 2023, the CCI unanimously approved the census results.
According to the results of the 7 th Population and Housing Census, Pakistan's
population, including the four provinces—Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan—
and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), has increased to 241.49 million (51.49% males ,
including transgenders, and 48.51% female), up from 207.68 million in the previous census.
This reflects a relatively high average annual growth rate of 2.55% from 2017 to 2023, the
highest in South Asia for 2023. Similarly, the average annual growth rates for Punjab, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and ICT are 2.53%, 2. 38%, 2. 57%, 3.2 0%, and 2.8 1%,
respectively.
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
4 NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT
The population shares of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and ICT are estimated at 52.87%, 16.92%, 23.06%, 6.17%, and 0.98%, respectively. Over time, Punjab's share of the total population has been declining, primarily due to the higher population growth in Sindh and Balochistan. Since 1951, Sindh's population share has risen from 17.9% to 23.1%, while Balochistan's share has increased from 3.5% to 6.2%. (The figure below depicts the average annual growth rates (bar height) and population shares (bar width) observed in the 7 th Population and Housing Census for the regions: Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and Islamabad Capital Territory.)
Urban population is 93.88 million (38.88%), comprising 48.75 million males (including transgender individuals) and 45.14 million females. In contrast, the rural population stands at 147.61 million (61.12%), with 75.60 million males (including transgender in dividuals) and 72.02 million females.
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT 5
According to the 7 th Population and Housing Census -2023, ten cit ies in Pakistan have population exceeding one million: Karachi (18.87M), Lahore (13M), Faisalabad (3.69M), Rawalpindi (3.36M), Gujranwala (2.67M), Multan (2.22M), Hyderabad (1.92M), Peshawar (1.91M), Quetta (1.57M), and Islamabad (1.11M). These cities collectively account for over 20% of Pakistan’s total population and 54% of its urban population. In the 6th Population and Housing Census -2017, Karachi and Lahore recorded population of 14.88M and 11.12M, respectively, reflecting average annual growth rates of 4.05% for Karachi and 2.65% for Lahore by 2023. Notably, among the next ten cities, with population between half a million and one million, eight are from Punjab (Sargodha, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Jhang, Shiekhupura, Gujrat, Sahiwal and Okara), two from Sindh (Sukkur and Larkana), while none belong to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Balochistan.
Transgender population reported in the 6 th Population and Housing Census-2017 was 21,774. However, as this was the first time data on transgender individuals was collected in the census, several challenges were faced in accurately capturing this segment of the population. Consequently, the reported figure was widely suspected to be an underestimation. In the 7 th Population and Housing Census, the reported transgender population has decreased further to 20,331, accounting for a mere 0.01% of the total population. This decline may not necessarily reflect a demographic trend but rather methodological and social factors influencing data collection. The census follows international best practices, adopting a respondent-based inquiry approach. This methodology relies on household responses to gather accurate data on demographics, economic status, living conditions, and other variables critical for planning and policymaking. Therefrore, the individuals who chose to conceal their transgender identity were