By Muhammad Obaidullah Mirani
Pakistan’s population is approaching 26 crore. The numbers are rising, cities are expanding and the proportion of young people is growing. But the more important question is whether the state is moving forward at the same pace. Population growth is a natural process; providing the people behind those numbers with schools, hospitals, employment, clean water, electricity, housing, transport and a secure future is a responsibility of the state. Pakistan has census data, but does it have a comprehensive policy built around that data? That is the question that matters. According to the 2023 census, Pakistan’s population stood at more than 241.4 million. It has grown since then, although without a new official census it would be wrong to present any specific figure for 2026 as an official population count.
But the argument over the precise number risks obscuring a more fundamental issue: governance. Does Pakistan see its growing population as an asset or as a burden? Population has always been closely linked to political power in Pakistan. A larger population means greater representation, while representation inevitably raises questions about the distribution of national resources. Punjab remains the country’s most populous province, but in Sindh the central question is Karachi. Karachi is not merely the largest city of Sindh. It is one of the principal engines of Pakistan’s economy. People arrive from across the country in search of work. Industries operate, ports handle trade, businesses expand and markets serve millions. Yet the city continues to struggle with the most basic requirements of urban life.
Water shortages, inadequate public transport, damaged roads, urban flooding, pressure on public hospitals, overcrowded schools and the shortage of affordable housing remain familiar realities. The uncomfortable question is whether the system that draws economic resources from Karachi is returning enough to meet the needs of the people who live and work there. The same challenge is visible in the country’s growing youth population. Every year, millions of young Pakistanis enter the labor market. Some hold university degrees, others have diplomas or technical skills. Yet the economy often fails to create opportunities on a scale that matches their numbers. For years, young people have been encouraged to study, sit examinations and obtain certificates, only to be told afterwards to find employment themselves.
Education without economic opportunity can quickly turn hope into frustration. A young population should not be viewed as a liability. If it is connected with skills, industry, technology, entrepreneurship and decent employment, it can become one of Pakistan’s greatest economic advantages. But if young people are left with little beyond political slogans, social media and the search for personal connections to secure jobs, a demographic dividend can become a demographic crisis. The pressure on cities also cannot be separated from the condition of rural Pakistan. People do not leave villages simply because they prefer crowded cities. They move because basic opportunities are often missing at home. Poor healthcare, inadequate schools, limited employment and the insecurity of agricultural incomes push families towards Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Islamabad and other urban centers.
It is therefore not enough to complain about the growing population of cities. If the government wants to reduce unplanned urban migration, it must make rural areas more economically and socially viable. Villages need schools, hospitals, roads, digital connectivity, markets and employment opportunities. Development cannot remain concentrated in a handful of major cities. A census should never be treated as a statistical exercise that ends when the figures are announced. If the state knows how many people live in the country, where they live, how old they are, what their education levels are and which essential services they lack, then the next questions are unavoidable.
How many schools are needed? How many teachers and doctors? How many hospitals? How many jobs? How much housing? How much clean water? What kind of transport? What sort of economic opportunities will be available to the next generation? If there are no credible answers, collecting the data is only the beginning. Population figures also influence the distribution of resources through the National Finance Commission. Census data therefore affects more than statistics. It has consequences for political representation, economic power and development resources. This explains why every census can generate controversy among provinces and why questions about methodology, transparency and representation become politically sensitive.
Twenty-six crore people are not Pakistan’s problem. The problem is a mindset that sees 26 crore people primarily as voters rather than citizens. The problem is a policy that delivers speeches to young people instead of employment opportunities. It is a system that draws revenue from cities without adequately investing in their basic infrastructure. It is an administrative structure that allows rural areas to fall behind while cities expand without adequate planning. Twenty-six crore people represent 26 crore possibilities. Among them are future teachers, doctors, engineers, journalists, farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs, workers and artists. Their potential is already there. What is missing is the opportunity to realize it.
(The writer is a columnist, mostly writes social and political issues. He could be reached at editorial@metro-morning.com)
