Pakistan: official statistics and sources
18 official bodies for Pakistan, from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to e-Pak Acquisition and Disposal System (e-PADS), with key figures from the World Bank and IMF. Official languages: Urdu, English. Capital: Islamabad.
Who holds power in Pakistan
- Head of state: Asif Ali Zardari (President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan)
- Head of government: Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan)
- Foreign minister: Mohammad Ishaq Dar (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan)
Source: UN Protocol and Liaison Service list, dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Federal parliamentary republic. How local power works in Pakistan: 4 tiers of government below the nation, who is elected and who they answer to.
Part of level 6 of the 10 levels of power.
Government, regions and cities
- Government and power in Pakistan: leaders, governance scores, women in parliament, spending and the bodies that hold power to account
- The 116 largest cities: Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala
Key figures
What the figures show
The World Bank puts Pakistan's population at 255.2 million in 2025, up from 217.3 million in 2015. No other UN member in the World Bank's Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan region has more people; worldwide it ranks 5th of 193.
GDP for 2025 was $407.3 billion at current dollar prices, according to the World Bank. That works out at $1,596 a head; the regional median is $6,051.
Real GDP grew by 3.7% in 2025, World Bank figures show. For 2026 the IMF expects 3.6%.
Across 2025 the annual rate was 3.5%. The IMF forecasts 7.1% for 2026.
The ILO's modelled unemployment rate for 2025 is 5.4%; the national statistics office may publish a different figure from its own survey.
The IMF records general government gross debt of 72.8% of GDP for 2025, compared with a median of 52.5% across the World Bank's Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan region; its 2026 projection is 69.8%.
Life expectancy at birth: 67.8 years (2024).
- Annual inflation since 2015: highest 30.8% (2023), lowest 2.5% (2015).
- Debt ratio 2015: 59.1%; 2025: 72.8%.
- GDP per person in dollars, 2015 to 2025: +16%.
Figures checked 2026-10-13; how they are compiled.
Official sources in Pakistan
Statistics office prices, jobs, people, output
- Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
Publishes Pakistan's consumer price index, census results, labour force survey and trade statistics.
Central bank interest rates and money
- State Bank of Pakistan
Publishes monetary policy statements, exchange rates, economic data and the annual report.
Parliament debates, votes, bills
- National Assembly of Pakistan
Publishes debates, bills, resolutions and the list of members.
- Senate of Pakistan
Publishes debates, bills and committee reports of the upper chamber.
Government
- Pakistan government portal
Publishes information on federal ministries, divisions and official announcements.
Laws and the official gazette the text of laws
- Pakistan Code (Ministry of Law and Justice)
Publishes the federal statute book with current and historical Acts and ordinances.
Courts judgments
- Supreme Court of Pakistan
Publishes judgments, cause lists and case status information.
- Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan
Publishes cause lists, case search, court notices and statistics of the court set up under the 27th Amendment.
Public audit how public money was spent
- Auditor-General of Pakistan
Publishes audit reports on federal and provincial accounts.
Regulators
- Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan
Publishes corporate and capital-market regulations, company registry data and enforcement orders.
- Competition Commission of Pakistan
Publishes competition orders, merger approvals and sector studies.
- Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
Publishes telecoms indicators, licences and regulatory decisions.
- National Electric Power Regulatory Authority
Publishes electricity tariff determinations, licences and the annual state of industry report.
Ombudsman
- Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman)
Publishes annual reports and findings on complaints against federal agencies.
Access to information requests to public bodies
- Pakistan Information Commission
Decides appeals under the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 and publishes its decisions and guidance for public information officers.
Public registers companies, land, charities
- Punjab Land Records Authority
Computerised land records (fard) and mutation services for Punjab province; land records in Pakistan are kept by the provinces.
Public contracts government tenders and awards
- Public Procurement Regulatory Authority
Publishes federal tenders, procurement rules and contract award notices.
- e-Pak Acquisition and Disposal System (e-PADS)
PPRA's electronic system for publishing federal bids and receiving tenders online.
Freedom of information in Pakistan
| Law | Right of Access to Information Act, 2017 (2017) |
|---|---|
| Answered by | A designated official in each public body. |
| Time limit | 10 working days, extendable by up to 10 more; 3 working days for information needed to protect life or liberty |
| Appeals to | Pakistan Information Commission |
Read from the Act (Gazette of Pakistan, 16 October 2017): appeals to the Commission must be made within 30 days and are free; a prescribed fee may be charged for reproducing information. Provinces have their own laws.
What Pakistan does not have
- The company register is run by the SECP (already listed); its eServices site (eservices.secp.gov.pk) reset the connection on 2026-10-13.
- No national register of charities; non-profits register under provincial and federal laws.
- No public register of lobbyists could be found.
- No national land register; land records are provincial.
Also: World Bank country data · IMF country page · UN Sustainable Development Goals country profile · IPU Parline parliament profile.
Pakistan by subject
- Economy GDP, growth, trade and investment
- Jobs and pay unemployment, jobs and work
- Cost of living inflation, poverty and inequality
- Public finances debt, deficit, tax and spending
- Health and care life expectancy, doctors and spending
- Housing homes, cities, water and power
- Crime and justice murder rate, courts and crime
- Immigration migrants, refugees and remittances
- Education schools, universities and literacy
- Environment emissions, air, forests and water
Power in Pakistan, from local government up to the G20
The global bodies above national governments, and the levels of power inside Pakistan. How the ten levels work.
Level 3: Local councils
- Cities of Pakistan the largest cities, with their figures
- Local government in Pakistan how councils, regions and municipalities work
Level 6: National government
- Pakistan: national government this page
- Government and power in Pakistan who leads, the parliament and the courts
- World leaders every country's head of state and government
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Common questions
What is the population of Pakistan?
255.2 million (2025, World Bank). National figures: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
What is the inflation rate in Pakistan?
3.5% (2025, World Bank). Official index: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
What is Pakistan's GDP?
$407.3 billion (2025, World Bank).
How much government debt does Pakistan have?
72.8% of GDP (2025, International Monetary Fund).
Who publishes official statistics in Pakistan?
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics: https://www.pbs.gov.pk/
Is there a freedom of information law in Pakistan?
Right of Access to Information Act, 2017 (2017). Time limit: 10 working days, extendable by up to 10 more; 3 working days for information needed to protect life or liberty. Appeals: Pakistan Information Commission.
What is the central bank of Pakistan?
State Bank of Pakistan: https://www.sbp.org.pk/
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