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A comparison with 2018–19 highlights a decline in household ownership of computing devices. Computer ownership fell from 8% to 3% nationally, with urban households dropping from 14% to 4% and rural households from 4% to 2%. Laptop ownership remained unchanged at 7% nationally, though urban households decreased from 14% to 12%, while rural households rose slightly from 3% to 4%. Tablet ownership also remained stable at 2% nationally, with urban households declining from 3% to 2%, while rural households stayed at 1% (Table 3.2).
This decrease reflects a broader shift in household technology preferences, as smartphones have become the dominant digital device. Rising smartphone penetration has substituted for traditional computing devices, offering multifunctional access to communication, education, and online services at lower cost and greater convenience.
Figure 3.3 illustrates the percentage of households with at least one computing facility — desktop, laptop, or tablet — across Pakistan and its provinces. The data show a moderate decline between 2018–19 and 2024–25, with national ownership dropping from 14% to 11%. Punjab and Sindh both decreased from 15% to 11%, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declined from 13% to 10%. In contrast, Balochistan showed a notable increase from 6% to 11%. These trends reflect a contraction in household-level ownership of computing devices in most regions, while also highlighting Baluchistan’s significant improvement in digital inclusion.
Table 3.2:Percentage of Households with Type of Facility: Region-wise
2024-25
2018-19 Facility Total Urban Rural Total Urban Rural Computer Desktop 3 4 2 8 14 4 Laptop 7 12 4 7 14 3 Tablet 2 2 1 2 3 1
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Figure 3.3: Percentage of Households with at least One Facility, Computer/Laptop/Tablet 3.2.2 Mobile Phone/Smartphone In Pakistan, the percentage of households with a mobile phone or smartphone remains consistently high. In 2024–25, 96% of households reported having such devices, compared to 95% in 2018 – 19. Punjab mirrored the national trend, risin g slightly from 95% to 96%, while Sindh increased from 93% to 95%. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) showed a steady increase from 97% to 98%. Balochistan experienced a notable improvement, with mobile or smartphone ownership jumping from 91% in 2018–19 to 98% in 20 24–25. These figures confirm mobile technology as the most pervasive digital asset across all regions (Figure 3.4).
Figure 3.4: Percentage of Households with Mobile/Smartphone
These gains reflect successful outreach and affordability, even in historically underserved areas.
However, the broader ICT landscape reveals persistent gaps. Ownership of desktops, laptops, and
11 11 11 10 11
14 15 15
13
6
0
5
10
15
20
Pakistan Punjab Sindh KPK Balochistan
Households with Desktop/Laptop/Tablets 2024-25
Households with Desktop/Laptop/Tablets 2018-19
96 96
95
98 98
95 95
93
97
91
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
100
Pakistan Punjab Sindh KP Balochistan
2024-25 2018-19
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tablets remain low, especially in rural households. While mobile access enables basic connectivity, the lack of computing devices limits opportunities for digital learning, remote work, and e - governance. This dual reality — universal mobile access but uneven ICT depth — underscores the need for targeted digital inclusion strategies under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). 3.2.3 Internet
In Pakistan, household internet access has significantly increased, rising from 34% in 2018–19 to 70% in 2024–25. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) recorded the highest access rate at 77% in 2024 – 25, up from 41% in 2018 –19. Punjab followed a similar upward trend, increasing from 33% to 69%, while Sindh saw growth from 37% to 67%. Balochistan experienced notable progress, with household internet access rising sharply from 19% to 69%. Nationally, this survey was conducted in the post-COVID period, during which internet use expanded due to lockdowns, remote work, online education, e-commerce, and greater reliance on digital services (Figure 3.5).
Figure 3.5: Percentage of Households with Internet
These gains underscore the growing importance of broadband as a foundational utility, enabling access to education, employment, financial ser vices, and civic participation. However, the gap between mobile phone ownership and internet access remains notable, pointing to affordability, literacy, and infrastructure barriers that must be addressed. 70 69 67 77 69 34 33 37 41 19 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Pakistan Punjab Sindh KPK Balochistan 2024-24 2018-19
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The upward trajectory aligns with Pakistan’s commitments under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 4 (Quality Education), reinforcing the role of internet access as a catalyst for inclusive development and digital equity 3.2.4 Barriers to Household Internet Access Despite substantial pr ogress in internet availability across Pakistan, a significant proportion of households continue to face barriers to adoption. These barriers vary by region and reflect a combination of perceptual, economic, infrastructural, and behavioral constraints. The most commonly cited reason for non-use is “No Need for Internet,” reported by 65% of households nationally. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) registers the highest proportion at 73%, followed by Punjab (69%), Sindh (58%), and Balochistan (56%). These figures indic ate a persistent perception gap regarding the relevance of digital connectivity for daily life, education, and economic participation. Affordability and substitution remain key constraints. “Access Elsewhere” — referring to reliance on shared or external internet sources — is cited by 8% of households nationwide, rising to 18% in KPK and 14% in Balochistan. “High Equipment Cost” affects 25% of households overall, with elevated figures in Balochistan (48%) and KPK (40%). Similarly, “High Service Cost” is reported by 20% nationally, with the highest incidence in Balochistan (45%) and Sindh (24%). Service-related limitations are more pronounced in Sindh and KPK. Sindh reports 22% of households citing “No Service Available,” while KPK records 13%. Energy -related constraints persist in Balochistan and Sindh, with “No Electricity” reported by 18% and 17% of households respectively. In terms of infrastructure and social norms, KPK also reports 33% under “Other Reasons,” such as privacy concerns, service quality issues, and cultural factors.
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These regional profiles underscore the multifaceted nature of digital exclusion, shaped by varying degrees of economic pressure, infrastructure availability, and social perceptions. The data highlights the need for targeted, p rovince-specific strategies to address barriers to internet access and promote inclusive digital participation (Figure 3.6). Figure 3.6: Percentage of Households with Barriers to Internet Access
- Others include Privacy or security, service quality issues, cultural reasons, and other reasons
- No Need for Internet includes not useful, not interesting, lack of local content
These findings highlight that universal internet access is not merely a matter of infrastructure, but requires targeted interventions addressing affordability, awareness, service reliability , and cultural inclusion (Table 3). Addressing these barriers is essential for achieving SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), especially in underserved and marginalized regions.
65 8 25 20 10 7 10 69 5 24 16 3 2 5 58 8 18 24 22 17 10 73 18 40 19 13 1 33 56 14 48 45 8 18 17 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Dontneed Accesselsewhere HighCost HighService NoService NoElectricity Others Pakistan Punjab Sindh KPK Balochistan
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Individual-Level Access and Use of ICT (Age >= 10 Years) 3.3.1 Population using Desktop/Laptop/Tablet:
In Pakistan , the population’s use of
computing devices has shifted notably
between 2018–19 and 2024 –25. Desktop
computer usage declined from 5% to 2%,
indicating reduced reliance on traditional
stationary setups. In contrast, laptop usage
increased from 3% to 4%, reflecting a
modest rise in preference for portable
computing solutions. Tablet usage edged
upward to the one -percent level ,
suggesting gradual adoption of touch -
based mobile devices (Fig. 3.7).
These trends highlight evolving
household technology preferences, where
desktops continue to lose ground while
laptops and tablets show incremental
growth. The overall pattern aligns with
broader substitution effects, as
smartphones increasingly fulfill
computing needs in domestic
environments due to their
multifunctionality, affordability, and
convenience.
Figure 3.7: Percentage of Population using Desktop Computer, Laptop or Tablet in last three months
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3.3.2 Population with Ownership of Mobile Phone/Smartphone:
In Pakistan, 50% of individuals owned a mobile phone or smartphone in the last three months
during 2024-25, showing a significant increase from 45% in 2018-19. Male ownership rose from
65% to 69%, while female ownership increased from
26% to 31%. Urban areas reported higher ownership
rates at 58%, up from 55%, while rural areas
improved from 39% to 44% (Fig. 3.8).
Punjab recorded an overall ownership rate of 50% in
2024-25, up from 46% in 2018-19. Urban ownership
rose slightly from 55% to 58%, and rural ownership
from 41% to 45%. Sindh matched the national
average with 50% overall own ership, improving
from 46%, with rural female ownership increasing
from 7% to 12%.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa showed a rise from 45% to
51%, with rural female ownership climbing from
26% to 34%. Balochistan experienced an increase
from 38% to 42%, with rural female ownership rising
from 11% to 13%.
These figures reflect gradual progress in mobil e phone ownership across all provinces, with
improvements seen in both urban and rural areas, and among both genders —though disparities
persist, particularly in rural female populations. (Table 4).
3.3.3 Population using Mobile Phone/ Smart Phone:
In Pakistan, 92 percent of individuals reported using a mobile phone or smartphone in 2024– 25, compared to 91 percent in 2018–19, indicating no significant change over the period. Male usage rose slightly from 93 percent to 94 percent , while female usage declined marginally from 90 percent to 89 percent, maintaining a persistent gender gap.
(2024-25) 50% (Pakistan) 58% (Urban) 44% (Rural) 69% 31% 73% 43% 66% 24% Figure 3.8: Percentage of Population owned Mobile/Smart phone in last three months
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Urban areas continued to lead with 94 percent usage, compared to 90 percent in rural areas, underscoring the disparity between regions (Table 5).
Overall, mobile/smartphone usage remains the most pervasive digital activity at the individual level, with consistently high adoption across all regions. The data highlight a persistent gender gap, particularly in rural areas, where female usage continues to lag behind male usage despite overall growth in male adoption (Fig 3.9).
3.3.4 Population with use of Internet:
In Pakistan, internet usage among individuals in
the last three months has significantly
increased, reaching 57% in 2024 –25 compared
to just 17% in 2018 –19. Both male and female
usage rose to 57%, up from 21% and 13%
respectively. Urban areas reported higher usage
at 69%, while rural areas followed with 49%
(Fig. 3.10).
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)
recorded a substantial rise in overall internet
usage, increasing from 14% in 2018–19 to 56%
in 2024 –25. Urban male usage reached 74%,
while rural female usage rose from 5% to 46%,
reflecting significant progress across gender
and regional lines.
Punjab witnessed a notable increase in overall usage from 18% to 59%. Urban female usage climbed sharply from 24% to 73%, while rural usage also improved, rising from 11% to 52%. Sindh maintained balanced growth, with overall usage nearly tripling from 19% to 56 %. Despite improvement, rural female usage remained relatively low at 34%, although this marks
(2024-25) 92% (Pakistan) 94% (Urban) 90% (Rural) 94% 89% 95% 92% 94% 86% (2024-25) 57% (Pakistan) 69% (Urban) 49% (Rural) 57% 57% 67% 71% 51% 48% Figure 3.9: Percentage of Population used Mobile/Smart phone in last three months
Figure 3.10: Percentage of Population used Internet in last three months
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ICT
progress from just 2%. Balochistan showed improvement from 7% to 43% overall. However, rural female usage remained the lowest nationally at 28%, despite rising from 2%, highlighting continued challenges in digital access. Overall, these figures reflect a strong upward trend in internet adoption across all provinces and regions, with significant gains among both genders. Nevertheless, disparities persist — particularly in rural female access —emphasizing the need for continued digital inclusion efforts (Table 8) In Pakistan, the highest levels of internet engagement were observed in a few key social media activities. Internet calls showed the greatest usage, with 79 percent of individuals reporting participation (76% males, 82% females). Downloading or streaming media content followed at 63 percent (66% males, 61% females). Use of social networking platforms was also prominent, reported by 51 percent overall (59% male s, 4 4% females). Watching web-based television content accounted for 2 8 percent of users, with higher engagement among females (32%) compared to males (23%) (Fig. 3.11).
Figure 3.11: Percentage of Population who have used internet for social media
12 76 59 9 9 23 66 78 82 44 13 7 32 61 610 79 51 11 8 28 63 7 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Male Female Total
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Among professional internet activities in Pakistan, the highest levels of usage were observed in
sending or receiving email (17% overall; 23% males, 10% females), followed by downloading
software (15% overall; 21% males, 10% females). Cloud storage services also showed relatively
higher engagement at 14 percent (1 6% males, 11% females), while reading or downloading
online material accounted for 13 percent overall (17% males, 9% females) (Fig. 3.12).
Figure 3.12: Percentage of Population who have used internet for professional purposes
3.3.5 Population with ICT Skills:
In Pakistan, the overall mean percentages of individuals (aged 10 and above) who reported
performing selected ICT-related tasks are presented below, disaggregated by sex.
Among males, the most commonly reported digital activities include copy-pasting content (49%),
sending messages (43%), and using arithmetic formulas (28%). Other repo rted tasks include
connecting or installing devices (34%), creating electronic presentations (30%), and transferring
files (16%).
Female respondents reported lower engagement across all categories. The most frequent
activities among females were sending me ssages (38%) and copy -pasting (33%), followed by
creating electronic presentations (16%) and connecting or installing devices (24%).
21
17
23
11
6
16
5
23
10 9 10
3 3
11
6
11
15
13
17
7
4
14
5
17
0
5
10
15
20
25
Male Female Total
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Advanced digital tasks such as installing software (12% males, 4% females), setting up security measures (10% males, 4% females), changing privacy or device settings (13% males, 4% females),
Verifying information online (4% males, 1% females), and writing computer programs (2% males, 1% females) were reported at lower overall levels. The total population averages across all sexes show that 41% of individuals reported copy- pasting, 41% sending messages, 19% using arithmetic formulas, and 29% connecting or installing devices. Other tasks ranged from 23% (electronic presentations) to 1% (writing computer programs). Figure (3.13)
Figure 3.13: Percentage of the Population age 10 years and greater having ICT Skills
3.3.6 Population with physical/digital account/Both Accounts (Age>=18):
In Pakistan, 55 percent of males and 9 percent of females reported having either a physical bank
account, a digital account, or both, with the overall proportion at 31 percent. In Punjab, the
corresponding figures were 57 percent for males and 10 percent for females, resulting in a total of
33 percent. Sindh recorded 54 percent of males and 11 percent of females, also yielding 33 percent
overall. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), 50 percent of males and 6 percent of females reported
account ownership, with the combined figure at 25 percent. Balochistan reported 45 percent of
males and 4 percent of females, with the total proportion standing at 25 percent (Fig. 3.14).
49
43
28
34
12
30
16
10 13
4 2
33
38
10
24
4
16
11
4 4 1 1
41 41
19
29
8
23
13
7 9
3 1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Copy_Paste
Sending_Messages
Arithmetic_Formula
Connecting_Installing
Installing_Software
Electronic_Presentations
Transferring_Files
Security_Measures
Changing_Settings
Verify_Information
Writing_Program
Overall
Sex Male Mean Sex Female Mean Sex Total Mean
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Figure 3.14: Percentage of Population having Physical Account/ Digital Account or Both, Region- wise In Pakistan, the percentage of individuals (age>=18) holding different types of financial accounts is reported as follows. Bank accounts were held by 25 percent of males and 6 percent of females, with the overall proportion at 15 percent. Digital accounts were reported by 22 percent of males and 3 percent of females, resulting in a total of 12 percent. Individuals holding both bank and digital accounts comprised 8 percent of males and 1 percent of females, with the combined figure at 4 percent (Fig 3.15).
Figure 3.15: Percentage of Population having Physical Account/ Digital Account or Both, Gender- wise However, it is pertinent to mention that the exact record of financial account ownership is assured through administrative data maintained by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The question was
introduced for the first time in HIES 2024 -25 to assess indiv idual-level financial inclusion, capturing self-reported access to physical and digital financial services. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Pakistan Punjab Sindh KPK Balochistan 55 57 54 50 45 9 10 11 6 4 31 33 33 25 25 Male Female Total 25 6 15 22 3 12 8 1 4 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Male Female Total BankAccount Digital Account BothAccounts
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List of Statistical Tables
Table 1 Percentage of Households with Telecommunication Facilities- By Province & Region Table 2 Percentage of Household with Internet Connection by Type of Device - By Province & Region Table 3 Percentage of Households with Barriers to Internet Access - By Province & Region Table 4 Percentage of Individuals own Mobile phone/Smart phone in last three months (age>= 10). Table 5 Percentage of Individuals used Mobile phone/Smart phone in last three months (age>= 10). Table 6 Percentage of Individuals used Desktop/ Laptop/Tablet or Similar (age>= 10). Table 7 Percentage of Individuals used Computer/ Laptop/Tablet by Type of ICT Skill (age>= 10). Table 8 Percentage of Individuals used Internet in the Last Three Months (age>= 10). Table 9 Percentage of Individuals using Internet by Type of Location (age>= 10). Table 10 Percentage Distribution of Internet usage By Type of Device in the Last Three Months (age>= 10). Table 11 Percentage Distribution of Individuals by Internet Activities for Private Purposes in the Last Three Months (age>= 10). Table 12 Percentage Distribution of Individuals by Types of Goods or Services Purchased Online in the Last Three Months (age>= 10). Table 13 Percentage Distribution of Individuals by Payment Methods used for Online Purchases in the Last Three Months (age>= 10). Table 14
Percentage Distribution of Individuals by Delivery Methods for Online Purchases in the Last Three Months (age>= 10). Table 15 Percentage Distribution of Individuals by Reasons for Not Purchasing Goods Or Services Online in the Last Three Months (age>= 10). Table 16 Percentage of Individuals with Reasons for Not Using Internet (age>= 10). Table 17 Percentage Distribution of Individuals by Type of Account (Bank or Digital) (age>= 18).