The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has announced the results of the country’s first Digital Economic Census, completed in coordination with the Population and Housing Census. Although officially titled the Economic Census 2023 because data collected in that year, the findings released in 2025 to provide updated economic data of Pakistan for planning and development.
Digital Economic Census Coverage
The Digital Economic Census counted 7 Million economic establishments in the country and put into 99 categories. The data was directly extracted with geo-tagging, tablet computers, GIS dashboards and real-time observation, thus reliability and efficiency.
Results show:
- Wholesale and retail trade: 2.9 million establishments
- Manufacturing: 696,558 establishments
- Education: 326,868 establishments
- Health and social work: 123,973 establishments
Around 95% of establishments employ fewer than 10 workers, highlighting the central role of small and medium enterprises in Pakistan’s economy.
Household Economic Activities in Pakistan
The census also covered 10.9 million households engaged in household economic activities. These include 5.6 million households in livestock rearing and 419,000 households in stitching, embroidery, carpet weaving, small poultry farms, and tuition centers. These sectors contribute to women’s empowerment, rural employment, and local income generation.
Government on Economic Data Integration
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, said the Pakistan Economic Census is a key step towards data-driven governance. He said the integration of population data and economic data provides a strong base for Pakistan’s GDP growth. It also supports poverty reduction and the creation of new jobs. The initiative aligned with Uraan Vision 2047, which targets making Pakistan a $3 trillion economy by 2047 through knowledge-based growth and evidence-based planning.
Business Register for Policy Planning
Chief Statistician Dr. Naeem uz Zafar stated that the Business Register, developed through the integrated Digital Economic Census, will serve as a key database for future economic policy and planning.
