ISLAMABAD: The Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved the digital census 2023, potentially leading to a delay in the national polls. The overall population growth rate in Pakistan increased by 0.15% to 2.55% over the past five years, based on the country’s first-ever digital Population and Housing Census 2023. The population reached 241.4 million, compared to the 207.68 million recorded in the census of 2017.
Punjab remains the most populous province with 127.68 million people, compared to 109.98 million in 2017. Punjab also experienced the highest growth rate increase, surging by 0.4% to 2.53%, compared to 2.13% in 2017.
In 2023, the population of Sindh increased to 55.69 million from 47.85 million in the previous census. The province’s growth rate rose by 0.16% to 2.57%, compared to 2.41% in 2017.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained the third most populous province with a population of 40.85 million, up from 30.5 million in 2017. However, the province’s growth rate declined by 0.44% to 2.38%, compared to 2.82% in 2017.
Balochistan’s population reached 14.89 million, growing at a rate of 3.2% in the latest census, up from 12.33 million in the previous census. The growth rate decreased by 0.17% from 3.37% in the previous census.
Islamabad’s population growth rate saw a significant decline, dropping to 2.18% in the latest census from 4.91% in 2017. The population of Islamabad reached 2.36 million in 2023, compared to 2 million in the 2017 census.
CCI Meeting Concludes Without A Decisive Verdict On The Census Matter
Earlier, the first meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) concluded without a decisive verdict on whether the upcoming elections in Pakistan will be based on the 2017 census or a freshly conducted one this year. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, discussed the implications of adopting a new digital census methodology.
Key dignitaries from various provinces and federal ministries attended the CCI meeting, including Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, caretaker Chief Ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, and several federal ministers and secretaries. However, the absence of Balochistan’s Chief Minister, due to a flight delay, created a hurdle in reaching a final decision during the session.
