THE result of the sixth population and housing census showed that Pakistan’s population stands at 207.774 million. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 32m households were included in the census throughout Pakistan. Out of the total lot, 20m households were included from the rural areas of the country while 12m were from the urban areas. The overall increase in population is about 57pc.

The overall population increase is 2.4pc, which is alarming not only for Pakistan but also for rest of the world. Since 2000 Pakistan has committed to international institutions that population is increasing by1.8pc. This percentage figure has been presented at different national and international forums by government functionaries. Now 2.4% plus increase in population is quite alarming.

Provincial level figures are even more alarming. Punjab’s population is the highest at 110m while Sindh follows next with 47m, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is third with 30m, Balochistan fourth at 12m. Federally-Administered Tribal Areas have a population of roughly five million people while the Islamabad Capital Territory has a population of two million. Surprisingly, Punjab population has increased up to 100pc plus, Sindh’s population has increased up to 56pc. Two most populated provinces’ result of population has raised many eyebrows. The Sindh government has shown some reservation about population figures owing to the lowest figure for Karachi, which is Pakistan’s largest city and eighth biggest city at the world level. The Karachi population figure as per the 2017 census is 14,910,352 while that of Lahore is 11,126,285. In the 1998 census, Karachi had a population of 9,339,023 while Lahore’s headcount stood at 5,143,495. This shows that from 1998 to 2017, Karachi’s and Lahore’s populations grew by 59.65pc and 116.3pc, respectively.

According to the census results, Karachi’s population is barely 3 million more than that of Lahore now, though Karachi is much more populated than any other city. In 1998, Karachi’s population was four million more than that of Lahore. While Karachi sprawls over an area of 3,527 square kilometres, Lahore covers an area of 1,772 square kilometres. How Karachi and Lahore figures are almost same (Lahore is only 3 million less). The Sindh government, opposition and nationalist groups have rejected these figures.

The resource allocation to provinces (National Finance Award) depends on population growth. Seats allocation in National Assembly also depends on population. People have doubts that the Punjab population figures have been manipulated for resource allocation and provision of seats in the National Assembly.

Aijaz Ali Khuwaja

Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2017