Pakistan has emerged as the world’s leading country in YouTube video consumption, with approximately 560 million videos watched daily, according to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman.
The surprising figures were revealed during a briefing to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications on November 3, 2026. The PTA chairman said approximately 96 million Pakistanis use YouTube, highlighting the country’s rapidly expanding digital audience. However, independent global rankings confirming Pakistan’s leading position were not presented.
The figures indicate that Pakistani YouTube users watch an average of nearly six videos daily. The reported 560 million figure represents total video views rather than individual viewers. It reflects the growing popularity of online entertainment, educational content, news and digital media across the country.
The PTA chairman also shared figures for other social media platforms. He said Pakistan has approximately 100 million TikTok accounts, while around 150 million videos are watched or uploaded daily. WhatsApp reportedly has around 100 million user accounts in Pakistan, with users making nearly one billion calls and exchanging 12 billion messages every day.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja informed lawmakers that increasing social media activity and artificial intelligence adoption have significantly increased internet data consumption. She also highlighted the government’s efforts to expand 5G services across 24 cities.
Despite rising digital activity, lawmakers expressed concerns about poor network quality and frequent internet disruptions. The minister identified infrastructure theft, including stolen mobile towers, generators and diesel supplies, as contributing factors.
The latest figures underline Pakistan’s enormous digital audience while raising questions about whether its telecommunications infrastructure can support growing demand.
