This statistic shows the biggest cities in Pakistan as of 2023. In 2023, approximately ***** million people lived in Karāchi, making it the biggest city in Pakistan.

Population in largest city in Pakistan was reported at 17648555 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Population in largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

This provincial level data provides population statistics for major cities of Pakistan.

Pakistan PK: Population in Largest City data was reported at 15,020,931.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 14,650,981.000 Person for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population in Largest City data is updated yearly, averaging 6,793,799.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,020,931.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 1,853,325.000 Person in 1960. Pakistan PK: Population in Largest City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; ;

Population in the largest city (% of urban population) in Pakistan was reported at 18.31 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Population in the largest city - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Pakistan PK: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data was reported at 20.922 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 20.928 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 21.610 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.038 % in 1980 and a record low of 18.670 % in 1960. Pakistan PK: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; Weighted average;

Major Cities Population

The share of urban population in Pakistan saw no significant changes in 2023 in comparison to the previous year 2022 and remained at around 38.04 percent. Still, the share reached its highest value in the observed period in 2023. A country's urbanization rate refers to the share of the total population living in an urban setting. International comparisons of urbanization rates may be inconsistent, due to discrepancies between definitions of what constitutes an urban center (based on population size, area, or space between dwellings, among others).Find more key insights for the share of urban population in countries like Bhutan and Afghanistan.

This horizontal bar chart displays rural population (people) by capital city using the aggregation sum in Pakistan. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

In 2023, the share of urban population in Pakistan remained nearly unchanged at around 38.04 percent. Nevertheless, 2023 still represents a peak in the share in Pakistan with 38.04 percent. A country's urbanization rate refers to the share of the total population living in an urban setting. International comparisons of urbanization rates may be inconsistent, due to discrepancies between definitions of what constitutes an urban center (based on population size, area, or space between dwellings, among others).

Abstract

The Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) Survey is one of the main mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). It provides a set of representative, population-based estimates of social indicators and their progress under the PRSP. These include intermediate as well as 'output' measures, which assess what is being provided by the social sectors - enrolment rates in education, for example. They include a range of 'outcome' measures, which assess the welfare of the population - Immunisation Rate, for example.

An important objective of the PSLM Survey is to try to establish what the distributional impact of PRSP has been. Policymakers need to know, for example, whether the poor have benefited from the programme or whether increased government expenditure on the social sectors has been captured by the better off.

Geographic coverage

National, excluding military restricted areas.

Analysis unit

• Individual
• Household

Universe

The universe of this survey consists of all urban and rural areas of the four provinces and Islamabad excluding military restricted areas.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sampling Frame: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has developed its own area sampling frame for both Urban and Rural domains. Each city/town is divided into enumeration blocks. Each enumeration block is comprised of 200 to 250 households on the average with well-defined boundaries and maps. The list of enumeration blocks are updated from field on the prescribed proforma by Quick Count technique for urban domain in 2013 and the updated list of villages/mouzas/dehs or its part (block), based on House Listing 2011 for conduct of Population Census are taken as sampling frames. Enumeration blocks are considered as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) for urban and rural domains respectively.

Stratification Plan Urban Domain: Large cities Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sialkot, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad are considered as large cities. Each of these cities constitutes a separate stratum, further substratified according to low, middle and high income groups based on the information collected in respect of each enumeration block at the time of demarcation/ updating of urban area sampling frame. Remaining Urban Areas: In all the four provinces after excluding the population of large cities from the population of an administrative division, the remaining urban population is grouped together to form a stratum. Rural Domain: Each administrative district for all four provinces namely Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan is considered as an independent stratum.

Selection of primary sampling units (PSUs): Enumeration blocks in both Urban and rural domains are taken as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs). Sample PSUs from each ultimate stratum/sub-stratum are selected with probability proportional to size (PPS) method of sampling scheme. In both Urban and Rural domains, the number of households in an enumeration block is considered as measure of size.

Selection of secondary sampling units (SSUs): The listed households of sample PSUs are taken as Secondary Sampling Units (SSUs). A specified number of households i.e. 12 from each urban sample PSU and 16 from rural sample PSU are selected with equal probability using systematic sampling technique with a random start.

Sample Size and its Allocation: Keeping in view the objectives of the survey, the sample size for the four provinces has been fixed at 5428 sample blocks (PSU’s) comprising 81,992 households (SSU’s), which is expected to produce reliable results at the district level.

Detailed sampling plan is attached as Appendix A of the survey report.

Sampling deviation

It is worth mentioning here that Panjgur district of Balochistan was dropped from the scope of the survey at the allocation stage due to prevailing situation in Panjgur district. While 7 PSUs from Sindh, 13 PSUs from KP and 82 PSUs from Balochistan province ( including Kech district) were dropped from the scope of the survey during execution of the survey due to law and order situation.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

At both individual and household level, the PSLM Survey collects information on a wide range of topics using an integrated questionnaire. The questionnaire comprises a number of different sections, each of which looks at a particular aspect of household behavior or welfare. Data collected under Round X includes Education, Health, Water & Sanitation and Household Economic Situation & Satisfaction by facilities and services use.

Cleaning operations

Data quality in PSLM Survey has been ensured through built in system of checking of fieldwork by the supervisors in the field as well as teams from the headquarters. Regional/ Field offices ensured the data quality through preliminary editing at their office level. The entire data entry was carried out at the PBS headquarter Islamabad and the data entry programme used had a number of in built consistency checks.

Accessibility to major cities dataset is modelled as raster-based travel time/cost analysis, computed for the 26 largest cities (>250k habitants) in the country. The following cities are included: City - Population Chiniot 278,528 Nawabshah 279,338 Mingora 331,377 Okara 358,146 Kasur 358,296 Mardan 359,024 Wah Cantonment 379,534 Sahiwal 388,795 Gujrat 390,758 Dera Ghazi Khan 397,362 Rahimyar Khan 420,963 Sheikhūpura 473,269 Larkana 488,006 Sukkur 500,401 Sialkot 656,730 Sargodha 658,208 Bahawalpur 762,774 Quetta 999,385 Hyderabad 1,733,622 Multan 1,872,641 Peshawar 1,969,823 Gujranwala 2,028,421 Rawalpindi Islamabad 3,106,827 Faisalabad 3,210,158 Lahore 11,119,985 Karachi 14,884,402 This 500m resolution raster dataset is part of FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative, Geographical Information Systems - Multicriteria Decision Analysis (GIS-MCDA) aimed at the identification of value chain infrastructure sites (or optimal location).

Abstract

A primary objective of the national Time Use Survey in Pakistan is to account for the 24 hours time in term of the full spectrum of activities carried out during the duration. The objectives of the survey are specified as under:- - To profile the quantum and distribution of paid/unpaid work as a means to infer policy/programme implications from the perspective of gender equity. - To collect and analyze the time use pattern of the individuals in order to help draw inferences for employment and welfare programmes. - To collect and analyze the comprehensive information about the time spent by people on marketed and non-marketed economic activities covered under the 1993-SNA, non-marketed non-SNA activities within the General Production Boundary and personal care and related activities that cannot be delegated to others. - To use the data in generating more reliable estimates on work force.

Geographic coverage

The survey covers all urban and rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan defined as such by 1998 Population Census excluding Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and certain administrative areas of NWFP. The population of geographic areas excluded from the survey constitutes about 2 percent of the total population as enumerated in 1998 Population Census. The population excluded is located in difficult terrain and its enumeration through personal interview is not possible within the given constraints of time, access and cost.

Analysis unit

Households Individuals

Universe

The universe consists of all urban and rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan, defined as such by Population Census 1998, excluding FATA & Military Restricted Areas. The population of excluded area constitutes about 3% of the total population and is located in different terrain.

Sampling procedure

Sampling Frame Federal Bureau of Statistics has developed its own sampling frame for all urban areas of the country. Each city/town has been divided into a number of enumeration blocks. Each enumeration block consists of 200-250 households on the average with well-defined boundaries and maps. The sampling frame i.e. lists of enumeration blocks as up-dated through Economic Census 2003-04 and the lists of villages/mouzas/dehs published by Population Census Organization as a result of 1998 Population Census have been taken as sampling frame. Enumeration blocks and villages are considered as primary sampling unites (PSUs) for urban and rural domain respectively.

Stratification a) Urban Domain i) Large Sized Cities Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sialkot, Sargodha, Bahawapur, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad are considered as large sized cities. Each of these cities constitutes a separate stratum which is further sub-stratified according to low, middle, high income groups based on the information collected in respect of each enumeration block at the time of demarcation/up-dating of urban area sampling frame. ii) Remaining urban areas After excluding the population of large sized cities from the population of respective administrative division, the remaining urban population of administrative division of four provinces is grouped together to form a stratum called other urban. Thus ex-division in remaining urban areas in the four provinces constitutes a stratum. b) Rural Domain In rural domain, each administrative district in the Punjab, Sindh and NWF Provinces is considered as independent and explicit stratum whereas, in Balochistan, each administrative division constitutes a stratum.

Sample size and its Allocation Keeping in view the resources available, a sample size of 19600 sample households has been considered appropriate to provide estimates of key characteristics at the desired level. The entire sample of households (SSUs) has been drawn from 1388 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) out of which 652 are urban and 736 are rural. In order to control seasonal variation etc. sample has been distributed evenly over four quarters. This has facilitated to capture the variation due to any seasonal activity as urban population is more heterogeneous therefore, a higher proportion of sample size has been allocated to urban domain. Similarly NWFP and Balochistan being the smaller province, have been assigned higher proportion of sample in order to get reliable estimates. After fixing the sample size at provincial level, further distribution of sample PSUs to different strata in rural and urban domains in each province has been made proportionately.

Sample Design A three-stage stratified sample design has been adopted for the survey. Sample Selection Procedure a) Selection of Primary Sampling Unites (PSUs) Enumeration blocks in urban domain and mouzas/dehs/villages in rural domain are taken as primary sampling unites (PSUs). In the urban domain, sample PSUs from each ultimate stratum/sub-stratum is selected with probability proportional to size (PPS) method of sampling scheme. In urban domain, the number of households in enumeration block as up-dated through Economic Census 2003-04 and population of 1998 Census for each village/mouza/deh are considered as measure of size. b) Section of Secondary Sampling Units (SSUs) Households within sample PSUs are taken as secondary sampling unites (SSUs). A specified number of households i.e. 12 from each urban sample PSU and 16 from each rural sample PSU are selected with equal probability using systematic sampling technique with a random start. Different households are selected in each quarter. c) Selection of Third Stage Sampling Units i.e. Individuals/Persons (TSUs) From the sample households, individuals/persons aged 10+ years within each sample households (SSUs) have been taken as third stage sampling units (TSUs). Two individuals aged 10 years and above among the eligible individuals/persons from each sample household have been interviewed using a selection grid.The grid and selection steps are detailed on p13 of the survey report available under external resources.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire has been framed in the light of contemporary precedents and practices in vogue in the developing countries. The recommendations of Gender Responsive Budgeting Initiatives (GRBI) expert who visited Pakistan in June 2006 have been taken into account. Further, the advice of local experts hailing both from data producing and using agencies has also been considered. Survey Questionnaire and Manual of Instructions, for the Supervisors & Enumerators, was finalized jointly by Federal Bureau of Statistics and GRBI Project staff. The questionnaire was also pre-tested and reviewed accordingly. The questionnaire adopted for the survey is given at Annexure-A. All the households selected in the sample stand interviewed. Diary part of the questionnaire is filled-in from two respondents selected from each of the enumerated households. The questionnaire consists of the following six parts. Section-1: Identification of the area, respondents, detail of field visits and staff entrusted with supervision, editing and coding. Section-2: Detailed information about the socio-economic and demographic particulars of the selected households and individuals. Some of the important household characteristics i.e. ownership status and type of the household, earthquake damage, household items, sources of energy, drinking water, transport, health & education facilities, sources of income, monthly income, age and sex composition of the population. Section-3: Demographic detail such as age, sex, marital status, educational level, having children, employment status, source of income etc. of the selected respondent of that household Section-4: Comprised of diary to record the activities performed by the first selected respondent through the 24 hours period between 4.00 a.m. of the day preceding the day of interview and 3.00 a.m. on the day of the interview. Section-5 and 6 pertain to the second selected respondent of the selected household. The diary which is the core instrument of the time use study is divided into forty eight half-hour slots. An open ended question about the activities performed during the thirty minutes was asked from the respondent. Provision for minimum of recording three activities through half hour slot was made. In case of reporting more than one activity, the respondent was probed whether these activities were carried out simultaneously or one after the other. Similarly, the two locations of performing the activities were also investigated in the diary part of the questionnaire. The activities recorded in the diary are then coded by the field enumerator according to the activity classification given at Annex-B.

Cleaning operations

Soon after data collection, the field supervisors manually clean, edit and check the filled in questionnaire and refer back to field where necessary. This does not take much time since most of the manual editing is done in the field. Further editing is done by the subject matter section at the Headquarter. Also during data entry, further editing of error identified by applying computer edit checks is done. In edit checks, data ranges in numerical values are used to eliminate erroneous data as a result of mistakes made during coding. Thus, the survey records are edited and corrected through a series of computer processing stages.

Abstract

The major aim of the survey is to collect a set of comprehensive statistics on the various dimensions of country’s civilian labour force as a means to pave the way for skill development, planning, employment generation, assessing the role and importance of the informal sector and, sizing up the volume, characteristics and contours of employment. The broad objectives of the survey are as follows: - To collect data on the socio-demographic characteristics of the total population i.e. age, sex, marital status, level of education, current enrolment and migration etc; - To acquire current information on the dimensions of national labour force; i.e. number of persons employed, unemployed, and underemployed or out of labour market; - To gather descriptive facts on the engagement in major occupational trades and the nature of work undertaken by the institutions/organizations; - To profile statistics on employment status of the individuals, i.e. whether they are employers, own account workers, contributing family workers or paid employees (regular/casual); - To classify non-agricultural enterprises employing household member(s) as formal and informal; - To quantify the hours worked at main/subsidiary occupations; - To provide data on wages and mode of payment for paid employees; - To make an assessment of occupational health and safety of employed persons by causes, type of treatment, conditions that caused the accident/injury and time of recovery; and To collect data on the characteristics of unemployed persons i.e. age, sex, level of education, previous experience if any, occupation, industry, employment status related to previous job, waiting time invested in the quest for work, their availability for work and expectations for future employment.

Geographic coverage

National Coverage

The survey covers all urban and rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan defined as such by 1998 Population Census, excluding Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and military restricted areas. The population of excluded areas constitutes about 2% of the total population.

All sample enumeration blocks in urban areas and mouzas/dehs/villages in rural areas were enumerated except 184 households due to non contact and refusal cases in urban and rural areas. However, the number of sample households (42,108) enumerated as compared to total sample size (42,292) is high as response rate is (99.56). Province wise detail of dropped sample areas (PSUs) are shown in the table on p4 of the survey report provided a a related document.

Analysis unit

Household/Individual

Universe

The universe for Labour Force Survey consists of all urban and rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan defined as such by 1998 Population Census excluding FATA and military restricted areas. The population of excluded areas constitutes about 2% of the total population.

Frequency of data collection

Quarterly: average based on 3 monthly data points

Sampling procedure

Sample Design: A stratified two-stage sample design is adopted for the survey.

Stratification Plan Urban Domain: Large cities Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sialkot, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad are considered as large cities. Each of these cities constitutes a separate stratum, further sub-stratified according to low, middle and high income groups based on the information collected in respect of each enumeration block at the time of demarcation/ updating of urban area sampling frame.

Remaining Urban Areas: In all the four provinces after excluding the population of large cities from the population of an administrative division, the remaining urban population is grouped together to form a stratum.

Rural Domain: Each administrative district in the Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is considered an independent stratum whereas in Balochistan, each administrative division constitutes a stratum.

Selection of primary sampling units (PSUs): Enumeration blocks in urban and rural domain are taken as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs). In the urban domain, sample PSUs from each ultimate stratum/sub-stratum are selected with probability proportional to size (PPS) method of sampling scheme. In urban domain, the number of households in an enumeration block by Quick Count technique in 2013 and village or its part (block), updated during House listing in 2011 for conduct of Population Census are taken as sampling frames for rural domain is considered as measure of size.

Selection of secondary sampling units (SSUs): The listed households of sample PSUs are taken as Secondary Sampling Units (SSUs). A specified number of households i.e. 12 from each urban sample PSU, 16 from rural sample PSU are selected with equal probability using systematic sampling technique with a random start.

Sample Size and Its Allocation: A sample of 42,292 households is considered appropriate to provide reliable estimates of key labour force characteristics at National/Provincial level. The entire sample of households (SSUs) is drawn from 2949 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) out of which 1726 are rural and 1223 are urban. The overall sample has been distributed evenly over four quarters independently. As urban population is more heterogeneous therefore, a higher proportion of sample size is allocated to urban domain. To produce reliable estimates, a higher proportion of sample is assigned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in consideration to their smallness. After fixing the sample size at provincial level, further distribution of sample PSUs to different strata in rural and urban domains in each province is made proportionately. The distribution of sample PSUs and SSUs in the urban and rural domain of the four provinces is provided on page 3 the survey report provided under Related documents.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Structured

Data appraisal

Reliability of Estimate: Notwithstanding complete observance of the requisite codes to ensure reliability of data, co-efficient of variations and confidence intervals computed in the backdrop of 5% margin of error exercised for determining sample size, are also given in Section II of the survey report to affirm the reliability of estimates.

Abstract

The Pakistan Integrated Household Survey (PIHS) was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), Government of Pakistan, and the World Bank. The survey was part of the Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) household surveys that have been conducted in a number of developing countries with the assistance of the World Bank. The purpose of these surveys is to provide policy makers and researchers with individual, household, and community level data needed to analyze the impact of policy initiatives on living standards of households.

The Pakistan Integrated Household Survey was carried out in 1991. This nationwide survey gathered individual and household level data using a multi-purpose household questionnaire. Topics covered included housing conditions, education, health, employment characteristics, selfemployment activities, consumption, migration, fertility, credit and savings, and household energy consumption. Community level and price data were also collected during the course of the survey.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Households
• Individuals
• Communities

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample for the PIHS was drawn using a multi-stage stratified sampling procedure from the Master Sample Frame developed by FBS based on the 1981 Population Census.

SAMPLE FRAME:

This sample frame covers all four provinces (Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, and Balochistan) and both urban and rural areas. Excluded, however, are the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, military restricted areas, the districts of Kohistan, Chitral and Malakand and protected areas of NWFP. According to the FBS, the population of the excluded areas amounts to about 4 percent of the total population of Pakistan. Also excluded are households which depend entirely on charity for their living.

The sample frame consists of three main domains: (a) the self-representing cities; (b) other urban areas; and (c) rural areas. These domains are further split up into a number of smaller strata based on the system used by the Government to divide the country into administrative units. The four provinces of Pakistan mentioned above are divided into 20 divisions altogether; each of these divisions in turn is then further split into several districts. The system used to divide the sample frame into the three domains and the various strata is as follows: (a) Self-representing cities: All cities with a population of 500,000 or more are classified as self-representing cities. These include Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Hyderabad and Peshawar. In addition to these cities, Islamabad and Quetta are also included in this group as a result of being the national and provincial capitals respectively. Each self-representing city is considered as a separate stratum, and is further sub-stratified into low, medium, and high income groups on the basis of information collected at the time of demarcation or updating of the urban area sample frame. (b) Other urban areas: All settlements with a population of 5,000 or more at the time of the 1981 Population Census are included in this group (excluding the self-representing cities mentioned above). Urban areas in each division of the four provinces are considered to be separate strata. (c) Rural areas: Villages and communities with population less than 5,000 (at the time of the Census) are classified as rural areas. Settlements within each district of the country are considered to be separate strata with the exception of Balochistan province where, as a result of the relatively sparse population of the districts, each division instead is taken to be a stratum.

Main strata of the Master Sample frame

Domain / Punjab / Sindh / NWFP / Balochistan / PAKISTAN Self-representing cities / 6 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 10 Other urban areas / 8 / 3 / 5 / 4 / 20 Rural areas / 30 / 14 / 10 / 4 / 58 Total 44 / 19 / 16 / 9 / 88

As the above table shows, the sample frame consists of 88 strata altogether. Households in each stratum of the sample frame are exclusively and exhaustively divided into PSUs. In urban areas, each city or town is divided into a number of enumeration blocks with welldefined boundaries and maps. Each enumeration block consists of about 200-250 households, and is taken to be a separate PSU. The list of enumeration blocks is updated every five years or so, with the list used for the PIHS having been modified on the basis of the Census of Establishments conducted in 1988. In rural areas, demarcation of PSUs has been done on the basis of the list of villages/mouzas/dehs published by the Population Census Organization based on the 1981 Census. Each of these villages/mouzas/dehs is taken to be a separate PSU. Altogether, the sample frame consists of approximately 18,000 urban and 43,000 rural PSUs.

SAMPLE SELECTION:

The PIHS sample comprised 4,800 households drawn from 300 PSUs throughout the country. Sample PSUs were divided equally between urban and rural areas, with at least two PSUs selected from each of the strata. Selection of PSUs from within each stratum was carried out using the probability proportional to estimated size method. In urban areas, estimates of the size of PSUs were based on the household count as found during the 1988 Census of Establishments. In rural areas, these estimates were based on the population count during the 1981 Census.

Once sample PSUs had been identified, a listing of all households residing in the PSU was made in all those PSUs where such a listing exercise had not been undertaken recently. Using systematic sampling with a random start, a short-list of 24 households was prepared for each PSU. Sixteen households from this list were selected to be interviewed from the PSU; every third household on the list was designated as a replacement household to be interviewed only if it was not possible to interview either of the two households immediately preceding it on the list.

As a result of replacing households that could not be interviewed because of non-responses, temporary absence, and other such reasons, the actual number of households interviewed during the survey - 4,794 - was very close to the planned sample size of 4,800 households. Moreover, following a pre-determined procedure for replacing households had the added advantage of minimizing any biases that may otherwise have arisen had field teams been allowed more discretion in choosing substitute households.

SAMPLE DESIGN EFFECTS:

The three-stage stratified sampling procedure outlined above has several advantages from the point of view of survey organization and implementation. Using this procedure ensures that all regions or strata deemed important are represented in the sample drawn for the survey. Picking clusters of households or PSUs in the various strata rather than directly drawing households randomly from throughout the country greatly reduces travel time and cost. Finally, selecting a fixed number of households in each PSU makes it easier to distribute the workload evenly amongst field teams. However, in using this procedure to select the sample for the survey, two important matters need to be given consideration: (a) sampling weights or raising factors have to be first calculated to get national estimates from the survey data; and (b) the standard errors for estimates obtained from the data need to be adjusted to take account for the use of this procedure.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The PIHS used three questionnaires: a household questionnaire, a community questionnaire, and a price questionnaire.

HOUSEHOLD QUESTIONNAIRE:

The PIHS questionnaire comprised 17 sections, each of which covered a separate aspect of household activity. The various sections of the household questionnaire were as follows: 1. HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION 2. HOUSING 3. EDUCATION 4. HEALTH 5. WAGE EMPLOYMENT 6. FAMILY LABOR 7. ENERGY 8. MIGRATION 9. FARMING AND LIVESTOCK 10. NON-FARM ENTERPRISE ACTIVITIES 11. NON-FOOD EXPENDITURES AND INVENTORY OF DURABLE GOODS 12. FOOD EXPENSES AND HOME PRODUCTION 13. MARRIAGE AND MATERNITY HISTORY 14. ANTHROPOMETRICS 15. CREDIT AND SAVINGS 16. TRANSFERS AND REMITTANCES 17. OTHER INCOME

The household questionnaire was designed to be administered in two visits to each sample household. Apart from avoiding the problem of interviewing household members in one long stretch, scheduling two visits also allowed the teams to improve the quality of the data collected.

During the first visit to the household (Round 1), the enumerators covered sections 1 to 8, and fixed a date with the designated respondents of the household for the second visit. During the second visit (Round 2), which was normally held two weeks after the first visit, the enumerators covered the remaining portion of the questionnaire and resolved any omissions or inconsistencies that were detected during data entry of information from the first part of the survey.

Since many of the sections of the questionnaire pertained specifically to female members of the household, female interviewers were included in conducting the survey. The household questionnaire was split into two parts (Male and Female). Sections such as SECTION 3: EDUCATION, which solicited information on all individual members of the household (male as well as female) were included in both parts of the questionnaire. Other sections such as SECTION 2: HOUSING and SECTION 12: FOOD EXPENSES AND HOME PRODUCTION , which collected data at the aggregate household level, were included in either the male questionnaire or the female questionnaire, depending upon which member of the household was more likely

This horizontal bar chart displays death rate (per 1,000 people) by capital city using the aggregation average, weighted by population in Pakistan. The data is about countries per year.

Abstract

The 2012-13 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey was undertaken to provide current and reliable data on fertility and family planning, childhood mortality, maternal and child health, women’s and children’s nutritional status, women’s empowerment, domestic violence, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The survey was designed with the broad objective of providing policymakers with information to monitor and evaluate programmatic interventions based on empirical evidence.

The specific objectives of the survey are to: • collect high-quality data on topics such as fertility levels and preferences, contraceptive use, maternal and child health, infant (and especially neonatal) mortality levels, awareness regarding HIV/AIDS, and other indicators related to the Millennium Development Goals and the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper • investigate factors that affect maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality (i.e., antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care) • provide information to address the evaluation needs of health and family planning programs for evidence-based planning • provide guidelines to program managers and policymakers that will allow them to effectively plan and implement future interventions

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Ever married women age 15-49
• Ever married men age 15-49

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sample Design The primary objective of the 2012-13 PDHS is to provide reliable estimates of key fertility, family planning, maternal, and child health indicators at the national, provincial, and urban and rural levels. NIPS coordinated the design and selection of the sample with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The sample for the 2012-13 PDHS represents the population of Pakistan excluding Azad Jammu and Kashmir, FATA, and restricted military and protected areas. The universe consists of all urban and rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan and Gilgit Baltistan, defined as such in the 1998 Population Census. PBS developed the urban area frame. All urban cities and towns are divided into mutually exclusive, small areas, known as enumeration blocks, that were identifiable with maps. Each enumeration block consists of about 200 to 250 households on average, and blocks are further grouped into low-, middle-, and high-income categories. The urban area sampling frame consists of 26,543 enumeration blocks, updated through the economic census conducted in 2003. In rural areas, lists of villages/mouzas/dehs developed through the 1998 population census were used as the sample frame. In this frame, each village/mouza/deh is identifiable by its name. In Balochistan, Islamabad, and Gilgit Baltistan, urban areas were oversampled and proportions were adjusted by applying sampling weights during the analysis.

A sample size of 14,000 households was estimated to provide reasonable precision for the survey indicators. NIPS trained 43 PBS staff members to obtain fresh listings from 248 urban and 252 rural survey sample areas across the country. The household listing was carried out from August to December 2012.

The second stage of sampling involved selecting households. At each sampling point, 28 households were selected by applying a systematic sampling technique with a random start. This resulted in 14,000 households being selected (6,944 in urban areas and 7,056 in rural areas). The survey was carried out in a total of 498 areas. Two areas of Balochistan province (Punjgur and Dera Bugti) were dropped because of their deteriorating law and order situations. Overall, 24 areas (mostly in Balochistan) were replaced, mainly because of their adverse law and order situation.

Refer to Appendix B in the final report for details of sample design and implementation.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The 2012-13 PDHS used four types of questionnaires: Household Questionnaire, Woman’s Questionnaire, Man’s Questionnaire, and Community Questionnaire. The contents of the Household, Woman’s, and Man’s Questionnaires were based on model questionnaires developed by the MEASURE DHS program. However, the questionnaires were modified, in consultation with a broad spectrum of research institutions, government departments, and local and international organizations, to reflect issues relevant to the Pakistani population, including migration status, family planning, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, and maternal and child health. A series of questionnaire design meetings were organized by NIPS, and discussions from these meetings were used to finalize the survey questionnaires. The questionnaires were then translated into Urdu and Sindhi and pretested, after which they were further refined. The questionnaires were presented to the Technical Advisory Committee for final approval.

The Household Questionnaire was used to list the usual members and visitors in the selected households. Basic information was collected on the characteristics of each person listed, including age, sex, marital status, education, and relationship to the head of the household. Data on current school attendance, migration status, and survivorship of parents among those under age 18 were also collected. The questionnaire also provided the opportunity to identify ever-married women and men age 15-49 who were eligible for individual interviews and children age 0-5 eligible for anthropometry measurements. The Household Questionnaire collected information on characteristics of the dwelling unit as well, such as the source of drinking water; type of toilet facilities; type of cooking fuel; materials used for the floor, roof, and walls of the house; and ownership of durable goods, agricultural land, livestock/farm animals/poultry, and mosquito nets.

The Woman’s Questionnaire was used to collect information from ever-married women age 15-49 on the following topics: • Background characteristics (education, literacy, native tongue, marital status, etc.) • Reproductive history • Knowledge and use of family planning methods • Fertility preferences • Antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care • Breastfeeding and infant feeding practices • Vaccinations and childhood illnesses • Woman’s work and husband’s background characteristics • Infant and childhood mortality • Women’s decision making • Awareness about AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections • Other health issues (e.g., knowledge of tuberculosis and hepatitis, injection safety) • Domestic violence

Similarly, the Man’s Questionnaire, used to collect information from ever-married men age 15-49, covered the following topics: • Background characteristics • Knowledge and use of family planning methods • Fertility preferences • Employment and gender roles • Awareness about AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections • Other health issues

The Community Questionnaire, a brief form completed for each rural sample point, included questions about the availability of various types of health facilities and other services, particularly transportation, education, and communication facilities.

All elements of the PDHS data collection activities were pretested in June 2012. Three teams were formed for the pretest, each consisting of a supervisor, a male interviewer, and three female interviewers. One team worked in the Sukkur and Khairpur districts in the province of Sindh, another in the Peshawar and Charsadda districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the third in the district of Rawalpindi in Punjab. Each team covered one rural and one urban non-sample area.

Cleaning operations

The processing of the 2012-13 PDHS data began simultaneously with the fieldwork. Completed questionnaires were edited and data entry was carried out immediately in the field by the field editors. The data were uploaded on the same day to enable retrieval in the central office at NIPS in Islamabad, and the Internet File Streaming System was used to transfer data from the field to the central office. The completed questionnaires were then returned periodically from the field to the NIPS office in Islamabad through a courier service, where the data were again edited and entered by data processing personnel specially trained for this task. Thus, all data were entered twice for 100 percent verification. Data were entered using the CSPro computer package. The concurrent processing of the data offered a distinct advantage because of the assurance that the data were error-free and authentic. Moreover, the double entry of data enabled easy identification of errors and inconsistencies, which were resolved via comparisons with the paper questionnaire entries. The secondary editing of the data was completed in the first week of May 2013.

As noted, the PDHS used the CAFE system in the field for the first time. This application was developed and fully tested before teams were deployed in the field. Field editors were selected after careful screening from among the participants who attended the main training exercise. Seven-day training was arranged for field editors so that each editor could enter a sample cluster’s data under the supervision of NIPS senior staff, which enabled a better understanding of the CAFE system. The system was deemed efficient in capturing data immediately in the field and providing immediate feedback to the field teams. Early transfer of data back to the central office enabled the generation of field check tables on a regular basis, an efficient tool for monitoring the fieldwork.

Response rate

A total of 13,944 households were selected for the sample, of which

The Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) was fielded on a national basis between the months of December 1990 and May 1991. The survey was carried out by the National Institute of Population Studies with the objective of assisting the Ministry of Population Welfare to evaluate the Population Welfare Programme and maternal and child health services. The PDHS is the latest in a series of surveys, making it possible to evaluate changes in the demographic status of the population and in health conditions nationwide. Earlier surveys include the Pakistan Contraceptive Prevalence Survey of 1984-85 and the Pakistan Fertility Survey of 1975. The primary objective of the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) was to provide national- and provincial-level data on population and health in Pakistan. The primary emphasis was on the following topics: fertility, nuptiality, family size preferences, knowledge and use of family planning, the potential demand for contraception, the level of unwanted fertility, infant and child mortality, breastfeeding and food supplementation practices, maternal care, child nutrition and health, immunisations and child morbidity. This information is intended to assist policy makers, administrators and researchers in assessing and evaluating population and health programmes and strategies. The PDHS is further intended to serve as a source of demographic data for comparison with earlier surveys, particularly the 1975 Pakistan Fertility Survey (PFS) and the 1984-85 Pakistan Contraceptive Prevalence Survey (PCPS). MAIN RESULTS Until recently, fertility rates had remained high with little evidence of any sustained fertility decline. In recent years, however, fertility has begun to decline due to a rapid increase in the age at marriage and to a modest rise in the prevalence of contraceptive use. The lotal fertility rate is estimated to have fallen from a level of approximately 6.4 children in the early 1980s to 6.0 children in the mid-1980s, to 5.4 children in the late 1980s. The exact magnitude of the change is in dispute and will be the subject of further research. Important differentials of fertility include the degree ofurbanisation and the level of women's education. The total fertility rate is estimated to be nearly one child lower in major cities (4.7) than in rural areas (5.6). Women with at least some secondary schooling have a rate of 3.6, compared to a rate of 5.7 children for women with no formal education. There is a wide disparity between women's knowledge and use of contraceptives in Pakistan. While 78 percent of currently married women report knowing at least one method of contraception, only 21 percent have ever used a method, and only 12 percent are currently doing so. Three-fourths of current users are using a modem method and one-fourth a traditional method. The two most commonly used methods are female sterilisation (4 percent) and the condom (3 percent). Despite the relatively low level of contraceptive use, the gain over time has been significant. Among married non-pregnant women, contraceptive use has almost tripled in 15 years, from 5 percent in 1975 to 14 percent in 1990-91. The contraceptive prevalence among women with secondary education is 38 percent, and among women with no schooling it is only 8 percent. Nearly one-third of women in major cities arc current users of contraception, but contraceptive use is still rare in rural areas (6 percent). The Government of Pakistan plays a major role in providing family planning services. Eighty-five percent of sterilised women and 81 percent of IUD users obtained services from the public sector. Condoms, however, were supplied primarily through the social marketing programme. The use of contraceptives depends on many factors, including the degree of acceptability of the concept of family planning. Among currently married women who know of a contraceptive method, 62 percent approve of family planning. There appears to be a considerable amount of consensus between husbands and wives about family planning use: one-third of female respondents reported that both they and their husbands approve of family planning, while slightly more than one-fifth said they both disapprove. The latter couples constitute a group for which family planning acceptance will require concerted motivational efforts. The educational levels attained by Pakistani women remain low: 79 percent of women have had no formal education, 14 percent have studied at the primary or middle school level, and only 7 percent have attended at least some secondary schooling. The traditional social structure of Pakistan supports a natural fertility pattern in which the majority of women do not use any means of fertility regulation. In such populations, the proximate determinants of fertility (other than contraception) are crucial in determining fertility levels. These include age at marriage, breastfeeding, and the duration of postpartum amenorrhoea and abstinence. The mean age at marriage has risen sharply over the past few decades, from under 17 years in the 1950s to 21.7 years in 1991. Despite this rise, marriage remains virtually universal: among women over the age of 35, only 2 percent have never married. Marriage patterns in Pakistan are characterised by an unusually high degree of consangninity. Half of all women are married to their first cousin and an additional 11 percent are married to their second cousin. Breasffeeding is important because of the natural immune protection it provides to babies, and the protection against pregnancy it gives to mothers. Women in Pakistan breastfeed their children for an average of20months. Themeandurationofpostpartumamenorrhoeais slightly more than 9 months. After tbebirth of a child, women abstain from sexual relations for an average of 5 months. As a result, the mean duration of postpartum insusceptibility (the period immediately following a birth during which the mother is protected from the risk of pregnancy) is 11 months, and the median is 8 months. Because of differentials in the duration of breastfeeding and abstinence, the median duration of insusceptibility varies widely: from 4 months for women with at least some secondary education to 9 months for women with no schooling; and from 5 months for women residing in major cities to 9 months for women in rural areas. In the PDHS, women were asked about their desire for additional sons and daughters. Overall, 40 percent of currently married women do not want to have any more children. This figure increases rapidly depending on the number of children a woman has: from 17 percent for women with two living children, to 52 percent for women with four children, to 71 percent for women with six children. The desire to stop childbearing varies widely across cultural groupings. For example, among women with four living children, the percentage who want no more varies from 47 percent for women with no education to 84 percent for those with at least some secondary education. Gender preference continues to be widespread in Pakistan. Among currently married non-pregnant women who want another child, 49 percent would prefer to have a boy and only 5 percent would prefer a girl, while 46 percent say it would make no difference. The need for family planning services, as measured in the PDHS, takes into account women's statements concerning recent and future intended childbearing and their use of contraceptives. It is estimated that 25 percent of currently married women have a need for family planning to stop childbearing and an additional 12 percent are in need of family planning for spacing children. Thus, the total need for family planning equals 37 percent, while only 12 percent of women are currently using contraception. The result is an unmet need for family planning services consisting of 25 percent of currently married women. This gap presents both an opportunity and a challenge to the Population Welfare Programme. Nearly one-tenth of children in Pakistan die before reaching their first birthday. The infant mortality rate during the six years preceding the survey is estimaled to be 91 per thousand live births; the under-five mortality rate is 117 per thousand. The under-five mortality rates vary from 92 per thousand for major cities to 132 for rural areas; and from 50 per thousand for women with at least some secondary education to 128 for those with no education. The level of infant mortality is influenced by biological factors such as mother's age at birth, birth order and, most importantly, the length of the preceding birth interval. Children born less than two years after their next oldest sibling are subject to an infant mortality rate of 133 per thousand, compared to 65 for those spaced two to three years apart, and 30 for those born at least four years after their older brother or sister. One of the priorities of the Government of Pakistan is to provide medical care during pregnancy and at the time of delivery, both of which are essential for infant and child survival and safe motherhood. Looking at children born in the five years preceding the survey, antenatal care was received during pregnancy for only 30 percent of these births. In rural areas, only 17 percent of births benefited from antenatal care, compared to 71 percent in major cities. Educational differentials in antenatal care are also striking: 22 percent of births of mothers with no education received antenatal care, compared to 85 percent of births of mothers with at least some secondary education. Tetanus, a major cause of neonatal death in Pakistan, can be prevented by immunisation of the mother during pregnancy. For 30 percent of all births in the five years prior to the survey, the mother received a tetanus toxoid vaccination. The differentials are about the same as those for antenatal care generally. Eighty-five percent of the births occurring during the five years preceding the survey were delivered

HIV screening and testing among those identified as presumptive for TB, Sindh Pakistan.

Abstract

The PSLM Project is designed to provide Social & Economic indicators in the alternate years at provincial and district levels. The project was initiated in July 2004 and will continue up to June 2015. The data generated through surveys is used to assist the government In formulating the poverty reduction strategy as well as development plans at district level and for the rapid assessment of program in the overall context of MDGs. As such this survey is one of the main mechanisms for monitoring MDGs indicators. It provides a set of representative, population-based estimates of social indicators and their progress under the PRSP/MDGs. For Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), UN has set 18 targets for 48 indicators for its member countries to achieve by 2015. Pakistan has committed to implement 16 targets and 37 indicators out of which 6 targets and 13 indicators are monitored through PSLM Surveys. The PSLM surveys are conducted at district level and at Provincial level respectively at alternate years. PSLM District level survey collects information on key Social indicators whereas through provincial level surveys (Social & HIES) collects information on social indicators as well as on Income and Consumption while in specific sections also information is also collected about household size; the number of employed people and their employment status, main sources of income; consumption patterns; the level of savings; and the consumption of the major food items. However, Planning Commission also uses this data for Poverty analysis.

Another important objective of the PSLM Survey is to try to establish the distributional impact of development programs; whether the poor have benefited from the program or whether increased government expenditure on the social sectors has been captured by the better off. The sample size of PSLM surveys district level is approximately 80000 households and approximately 18000 at Provincial level.

Main Indicators: Indicators on Demographic characteristics, Education, Health, Employment, Household Assets, Household Amenities, Population Welfare and Water Supply & Sanitation are developed at National/Provincial /District levels.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Households and Individuals

Universe

The universe of this survey consists of all urban and rural areas of all four provinces, AJK and Gilgit Baltistan. FATA and Military restricted areas have been excluded from the scope of the survey.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sampling Frame: Pakistan Bureau of statistics PBS has developed its own urban area frame. Each city/town is divided into enumeration blocks. Each enumeration block is comprised to 200-250 households on the average with well-defined boundaries and maps .The list of enumeration blocks as updated from field on the prescribed Performa by Quick Count Technique in 2013 for urban and the list of villages/mouzas/dehs or its part (block), updated during House listing in 2011 for conduct of Population Census, are taken as sampling frame. Enumeration blocks and villages are considered as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) for urban and rural domains respectively. A project to update the rural blocks is currently in hand.

Stratification Plan

Urban Areas: Large sized cities having population five laces and above have been treated as independent stratum. Each of these cities has further been sub-stratified into low, middle and high income groups. The remaining cities/towns within each defunct administrative division have been grouped together to constitute an independent stratum.

Rural Areas: The entire rural domain of a district for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh provinces has been considered as independent stratum, whereas in Balochistan province defunct administrative division has been treated as stratum.

Sample Size and its Allocation: To determine optimum sample size for this survey, 6 indicators namely Literacy rate, Net enrolment rate at primary level, Population 10+ that ever attended school, Contraceptive prevalence of women age 15-49 years, Children age 12-23 months who are fully immunized and post natal consultation for ever married women aged 15-49 years were taken into consideration. Keeping in view the prevalence of these indicators at different margin of errors, reliability of estimates and field resources available a sample of size 19620 households distributed over 1368 PSUs (567 urban and 801 rural) has been considered sufficient to produce reliable estimates in respect of all four provinces with urban rural breakdown, however data was collected from 1307 PSU’S by covering 17989 household.

Sample Design: A two-stage stratified sample design has been adopted for this survey.

Selection of primary sampling Units (PSUs): Enumeration blocks in urban and rural domains have been taken as PSUs. In urban and rural domains sample PSUs from each stratum have been selected by PPS method of sampling scheme; using households in each block as Measure of size (MOS).

Selection of Secondary Sampling Units (SSUs): Households within PSU have been considered as SSUs. 16 and 12 households have been selected from urban/rural domains respectively by systematic sampling scheme with a random start.

Sampling deviation

Out of 1368 PSUs, of all four provinces 61 PSUs (11 urban and 50 rural PSUs) of Balochistan were dropped due to bad law and order situation and the remaining 1307 PSUs (556 urban and 751 rural) comprising 17989 households were covered.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

At both individual and household level, the PSLM Survey collects information on a wide range of topics using an integrated questionnaire. The questionnaire comprises a number of different sections, each of which looks at a particular aspect of household behavior or welfare. Data collected under Round IX includes education, diarrhea, immunization, reproductive health, pregnancy history, maternity history, family planning, pre and post-natal care and access to basic services.

Cleaning operations

Data quality in PSLM Survey has been ensured through a built in system of checking of field work by the supervisors in the field and by the in charge of the concerned Regional/Field offices. Teams from the headquarters also pay surprise visits and randomly check the work done by the enumerators. Regional/ Field offices ensured the data quality through preliminary editing at their office level. The entire data entry was carried at the PBS headquarter Islamabad and specially designed data entry programme had a number of built in consistency checks.

Data appraisal

To determine the reliability of the estimates confidence interval and Standard error of important key indicators have been worked out and are attached at the end of each section of the survey report, provided under the 'Related Materials' tab