Pakistan has taken a major step toward data-driven policymaking with the launch of its first fully digital Household Integrated Economic Survey. Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal officially launched the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2024–25, calling it a landmark moment for governance and national planning. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives and brought together senior officials, technical experts, and key stakeholders from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has now completed and released the HIES 2024–25 results, marking a significant upgrade in Pakistan’s national data ecosystem. Endorsed by the Technical Committee, the survey offers a detailed picture of the country’s social and economic conditions and aims to support evidence-based decision-making.
Speaking at the event, Ahsan Iqbal said the Planning Ministry and PBS have evolved into modern, data-driven institutions. He described this shift as a positive break from the past, adding that long-standing institutional backlogs are being cleared while analytical capacity continues to improve.
He highlighted Pakistan’s first-ever digital population census as a major national achievement. This was followed by the Digital Agriculture Census and the Economic Survey of Pakistan. According to the minister, HIES 2024–25 builds on this momentum and gives researchers and businesses better tools for analysis and productivity gains.
The survey data shows notable improvements across key sectors. National literacy has increased from 60% to 63%. The share of out-of-school children has declined from 30% to 28%. Household internet access has surged from 34% to 70%, while individuals using the internet rose from 17% to 57%.
Health indicators also show progress. Full immunization coverage, based on records, increased from 68% to 73%. The neonatal mortality rate dropped from 41 to 35 per thousand live births. Infant mortality declined from 60 to 47 per thousand live births. The total fertility rate fell from 3.7 to 3.6 children per woman.
Access to clean energy improved as well. The use of clean fuels increased from 35% to 38%, including natural gas, LPG, biogas, solar energy, and electricity. Meanwhile, household mobile or smartphone access climbed to 96% nationwide.
Education indicators showed steady gains. Gender parity at the primary level increased from 92% to 96%. However, Ahsan Iqbal warned that Pakistan still faces an education emergency. He stressed the need to raise participation rates to 90% and address the issue of nearly 25 million out-of-school children.
Reflecting on recent history, the minister said Pakistan’s economy suffered its first major shock in 2018, which disrupted earlier growth. He added that weak planning decisions in 2022 caused long-term damage. After COVID-19, a global crisis further strained the economy, especially the middle class.
Despite these challenges, he said the crisis phase has ended, and recovery is underway. The government expects around 4% GDP growth in the current fiscal year. According to him, cautious economic management and policy continuity will support sustainable growth.
Ahsan Iqbal emphasized that growth must rest on strong fundamentals and capacity building. He pointed to HIES findings that signal gradual improvement in both social and economic indicators. He also linked future progress to the “5Es Framework” under URAAN Pakistan.
He called for political stability and national unity, urging the country to move from “Marka-e-Haq” to “Marka-e-Taraqqi,” or the battle for development. He said Pakistan must work collectively to become a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2035.
During the event, Deputy Director General Ms. Rabia Awan presented detailed survey findings. She noted that household incomes and consumption have increased. Food accounts for 37% of household consumption, followed by housing and fuel at 26%. Spending on restaurants and hotels stands at 6.63%, clothing and footwear at 6.28%, and transport at 6.21%.
HIES has tracked socio-economic trends since 1963, with the previous round conducted in 2018–19. The survey supports monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals and covers 31 of the 62 indicators reported by PBS.
HIES 2024–25 is the first fully digital survey of its kind, conducted after the Digital Population and Housing Census 2023. Fieldwork concluded in June 2025, covering 32,000 households nationwide. Data collection relied on an integrated ERP system that enabled real-time monitoring and task management.
In closing, PBS said the survey reflects meaningful progress in education, health, digital access, and household income. Officials described the findings as a strong foundation for inclusive policies and equitable growth across Pakistan.
