Digital Census Pakistan: The 2023 Count, Results & History
The definitive guide to Pakistan’s 7th Population and Housing Census — the 241.49 million result, the tablet-and-GIS method, self-enumeration, and all seven censuses since 1951.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
Pakistan’s 7th Population and Housing Census (2023) — the country’s first digital census — counted 241.49 million people (247.54 million including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir), growing at 2.55% a year since 2017. Conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics from 1 March 2023 with tablets, GIS geo-tagging and a self-enumeration portal (used by 6.6 million households), the results were approved by the Council of Common Interests on 5 August 2023. Punjab remains the most populous province (127.68m); Karachi the largest city (20.3m).
At a glance
The 2023 census in numbers
Official PBS results, CCI-approved August 2023.
Total population
Annual growth rate
Enumerators with tablets
Self-enumerated households
Headlines
The 2023 census results at a glance
The numbers that redefined Pakistan’s demographic map.
| Indicator | 2023 census | 2017 census |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 241.49 million | 207.68 million |
| Annual growth rate | 2.55% | 2.40% |
| Punjab | 127.68 million | 109.99 million |
| Sindh | 55.69 million | 47.85 million |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 40.85 million | 35.50 million |
| Balochistan | 14.89 million | 12.34 million |
| Islamabad (ICT) | 2.36 million | 2.00 million |
| Urban share | 38.82% | 36.44% |
| Households | 38.34 million | 32.21 million |
| Average household size | 6.33 | 6.45 |
Including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, the national total reaches 247.54 million. The results were approved by the Council of Common Interests on 5 August 2023 and notified on 7 August 2023 — making them the legal basis for new electoral delimitations and the NFC award debate.
The method
What made it “digital”
South Asia’s largest digitisation exercise — planned in just 18 months.
Tablets, not paper
Enumerators carried tablet computers with a custom app — no paper forms. Data synced to PBS servers, killing the transcription errors that plagued paper censuses.
GIS & geo-tagging
Every structure in Pakistan was geo-tagged before enumeration, and supervisors monitored coverage in real time on GIS dashboards — under-counted blocks glowed red until revisited.
Self-enumeration
6.6 million households filled the form themselves through the PBS online portal — a first for Pakistan, and a lifeline during the extended schedule.
Fieldwork ran from 1 March 2023 (extended several times into May) with over 120,000 enumerators. The digital trail also made the count auditable: every tablet entry carried a timestamp and GPS coordinate.
History
All seven censuses of Pakistan
From 1951’s first count to 2023’s tablets.
1st census
The first count of independent Pakistan — about 33.7 million people (including present-day Bangladesh’s share counted separately).
2nd census
Recorded rapid growth; the results shaped Ayub Khan’s development planning.
3rd census
First census of Pakistan without East Pakistan — the demographic baseline of the country we know today.
4th census
Counted about 84 million; documented the urbanisation wave of the Zia years.
5th census
132.35 million; the count that fixed provincial shares for two decades — until it was challenged.
6th census
207.68 million after a 19-year gap; controversial from day one, with Karachi’s count disputed by every party in Sindh.
7th census — digital
241.49 million; first digital census, geo-tagged structures, self-enumeration portal, CCI-approved August 2023.
Debate
Controversies and criticisms
No Pakistani census has ever been accepted quietly — 2023 was no exception.
Karachi’s count
Karachi’s 20.3 million was instantly disputed: the MQM and other Sindh urban parties argued the real figure is far higher, pointing to the city’s water demand, NADRA records and sheer visible density. The PBS stood by its GIS-verified enumeration — but the argument will return at the next delimitation.
The growth-rate alarm
The 2.55% growth rate — up from 2.40%, highest in South Asia — alarmed planners: at this rate Pakistan’s population doubles by 2050. Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal called it one of the highest rates among the world’s 30 most populous countries, warning of pressure on resources, per-capita income and living standards.
Extended schedules
The repeated extensions of fieldwork (March into May) drew criticism that the count was being “managed”. The PBS countered that extensions improved coverage — the GIS dashboards showed exactly which blocks needed revisiting, and the published timestamps back the claim.
The 2017 shadow
Much of the 2023 debate replayed 2017’s: that census, held after a 19-year gap, was rejected by Sindh’s parties and its results were eventually superseded. The 2023 exercise won something 2017 never had — unanimous CCI approval with all chief ministers present — which is its strongest defence.
Stakes
Why the census matters so much
In Pakistan, counting people is counting power and money.
National Assembly seats
Seats are divided by population — the 2023 results triggered fresh delimitations, redrawing every constituency map in the country.
NFC award
Federal divisible-pool money is shared by the National Finance Commission formula, where population carries the heaviest weight. Billions move on census numbers.
Quotas & jobs
Provincial quotas in federal jobs, university seats and development funds all key off the census — which is why every province argues about its count.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
The census questions everyone asks — with PBS figures.
What is the population of Pakistan according to the 2023 census?
241.49 million (four provinces + Islamabad); 247.54 million including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.
When was Pakistan’s digital census conducted?
Fieldwork began 1 March 2023 and ran into May 2023 after extensions; results were approved by the CCI on 5 August 2023 and notified on 7 August 2023.
What was Pakistan’s population growth rate in the 2023 census?
2.55% per year — up from 2.40% in 2017, and the highest in South Asia.
Which is the most populous province of Pakistan?
Punjab — 127.68 million people in 2023, about 53% of the national total.
What is the population of Karachi in the 2023 census?
20.3 million — Pakistan’s largest city by a wide margin.
How many censuses has Pakistan conducted?
Seven: 1951, 1961, 1972, 1981, 1998, 2017 and 2023 — the last being the first digital census.
What was Pakistan’s population in the 2017 census?
207.68 million — the 6th census, held after a 19-year gap, whose results were disputed from the day of publication and eventually superseded by the 2023 count.
What is the average household size in Pakistan?
6.33 members in 2023, down from 6.45 in 2017 — households are slowly shrinking even as the population grows.
What percentage of Pakistan is urban?
38.82% in 2023, up from 36.44% in 2017 — Pakistan remains a majority-rural country, with 61.18% of people living outside cities.
Explore Pakistan’s geography
Borders, rivers, mountain ranges and census data — browse the full Pakistan Geography collection.
All census figures in this guide are from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics’ 7th Population and Housing Census 2023, as approved by the Council of Common Interests. Detailed tables are published on pbs.gov.pk.