The Council of Common Interest has approved the 7th Population and Housing Census, recording total population of the country at 241.49 million with a growth rate of 2.55 percent.  

The approval was accorded at a meeting of the CCI held in Islamabad today, with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in the chair.    

Chief Ministers of all provinces, representatives of all political parties including Dr. Khalid Magsi of Balochistan Awami Party, Syed Aminul Haq of MQM, Maulana Asad Mehmood of Jamiat Ulema Islam (F) and Qamar Zaman Kaira of Pakistan Peoples Party attended the meeting and fully endorsed the results of the census.            

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the Council of Common Interests is an important constitutional body which strengthens the federation.        

He noted with concern that population has increased by 3.5 crores in the last 6 years which is much higher than its economic growth.  

He underscored the need for controlling population growth and overcoming the challenge by accelerating the pace of economic development.                              

According to detailed province wise break-down of population, Punjab's population is 127.68 million with a growth rate of 2.53 percent, Sindh 55.69 Million with a growth rate of 2.57 percent, Balochistan 14.89 Million with a growth rate of 3.2 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 40.85 million with a growth rate of 2.38 percent and  Islamabad federal capital territory 2.36 million with a growth rate of 2.81 percent.

Rural population of Pakistan is 61.18 percent while urban is 38.82 percent.               

This was the first ever digital census of the country in which Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to ensure real time monitoring, transparency, data quality and complete coverage.

Taking benefit of digital mode of data entry, 6.6 million households of the country entered their data through 'Self- Enumeration' portal and expressed confidence in the digital system.