ISLAMABAD: YouTube has become a widely used social media platform in Pakistan.
For example, in 2021-22, the number of YouTube users in Pakistan expanded to more than 71 million. It is equal to one-fourth of country’s population as per the latest data of the Digital Census carried out a few weeks ago.
Google owns the YouTube network, the leading social media platform for sharing videos.
The rapid penetration of smartphones in Pakistan encouraged the usage of YouTube.
The economic survey also highlights social media and internet landscape in the country, revealing interesting statistics about user preferences and trends.
Smartphone users in Pakistan
In 2021-22, the number of Pakistanis using smartphones increased to 19.18 million. Among these users, YouTube stands out as the go-to platform and it attracted over 71 million individuals.
Facebook follows YouTube closely with 57.5 million users, and Snack Video, video-sharing platform, takes the third spot with 18.8 million users.
According to the economic survey, Pakistan currently has 87.3 million internet users.
Dar launches Economic Survey for 2022-23
Meanwhile, on Thursday finance minister Dar unveiled the economic survey for the outgoing fiscal year 2023-24.
Dar said he had left Pakistan in a strong economic position in 2017 when he was the finance minister under PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
He said he had previously championed a 3Es framework, adding that it was now being expanded to a 5Es framework focusing on exports, equity, empowerment, environment, and energy.
According to the economic survey, Pakistan recorded 28.% inflation in the nine-month period (from July 2022 to March 2023), against a mere 11% in the same period last year.
The government set the inflation target at 11.5pc for FY-2023 but missed it because of a sharp depreciation of the rupee and global supply shocks resulting in pricey imports.
Dar did not forget to tell the journalists how bad the state of the economy was in 2013 when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government assumed office. He explained the economy was in tatters, the country was facing 18 hours of power blackout while terrorism reigned supreme.
“We followed our ‘Three Es’ concept and Pakistan saw macroeconomic growth,” recalled Dar, adding that now, we are focusing on Five Es — exports, equity, empowerment, environment, and energy. These are our five areas of focus.
