As per provisional results of much-delayed sixth population census, Pakistan has amassed a population of 210.31 million, thus registering an increase of 70.87 million since 1998.
If population of Azad and Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan is also included, then figures augment to mammoth 210.90 million.
According to details, as many as 17 million people are residing in Pakistan’s economical hub i-e Karachi. The stats were 9.8 million in 1998.
As far as provinces are concerned, population of Punjab has witnessed massive upward trajectory with 110.1 million residents. It was 70.36 million in 1998. The population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) has almost doubled as figure mounted to 31 million. Back then in 1998, the population stood at just 17.7 million. Balochistan also followed footprints of KPK as population soared to 10.15 million from 6.5 million. Against backdrop of these figures, population has increased alarmingly by 60pc.
Numbers of people living in Islamabad have also increased from 8 lacs to 5.5 million.
Balochistan topped the list with 77pc increase in population followed by KPK with 75pc, Sindh with 68pc and Punjab with 52pc.
A far as cities are concerned, population of Lahore went up to 12 million from 6.3 million thus registering a massive increase of 90pc. Peshawar’s population doubled from 2 million to 4 million while Quetta’s population increased from 0.67 million to 2 million.
When approached for confirmation, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) neither declined nor confirmed the news. On the other hand, population experts have expressed grave concerns over startling hike in population rate in Sindh, Balochistan and KPK.
