Islamabad/Panjab Post
According to recent data from Pakistan’s 7th Population and Housing Census 2023, the Hindu population in the country has risen to 3.8 million, marking it as the largest minority community in Pakistan. This figure reflects an increase from 3.5 million recorded in 2017, as reported by Dawn newspaper.
Pakistan’s total population in 2023 reached 240,458,089, with Muslims comprising 96.35% of the population, slightly down from 96.47% in 2017. The share of major religious minorities has seen varied changes in percentage terms despite overall population growth.
The Hindu community’s proportion of the total population decreased marginally from 1.73% to 1.61%, even as their numerical strength increased. Conversely, Christians saw their numbers grow from 2.6 million to 3.3 million, with their share rising from 1.27% to 1.37%. Ahmadis, however, experienced a decline both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the total population.
The data also highlighted Pakistan’s overall population growth rate of 2.55%, projecting a potential doubling by 2050. Gender-wise, the country reported a ratio of 1.06 males per female, with 20,331 transgender individuals counted in the census.
Urban areas exhibited a faster population growth rate at 3.67% compared to rural areas at 1.88%, underscoring significant demographic shifts within the country.
The census data further revealed that a majority of Pakistan’s population, 67%, is below the age of 30, with 80% under the age of 40. The percentage of married individuals decreased slightly from 66.12% in 2017 to 64.79% in 2023, while the rate of divorced individuals also showed a minor decline.
As Pakistan grapples with evolving demographic dynamics, the census figures provide crucial insights into the nation’s population composition and trends over recent years.
