First-ever digital HIES shows literacy at 63%, household internet access rises to 70%

ISLAMABAD, Jan 1 (APP): The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday launched the country’s first-ever fully digital Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2024–25, a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening data-driven governance and evidence-based policymaking, with results indicating notable improvements in education, health, digital access and household living standards.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal formally launched the survey at a ceremony, terming the digital HIES a major milestone in Pakistan’s national data ecosystem.
Addressing the event, Ahsan Iqbal said credible, timely and technology-driven data was the backbone of effective public policy, adding that the transition to a fully digital survey reflected the government’s commitment to modernizing statistical systems and aligning development planning with ground realities.
He said HIES data would play a pivotal role in informed decision-making, resource allocation and monitoring progress towards national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event was attended by Chief Statistician Dr. Naeem uz Zafar (SI), Muhammad Sarwar Gondal (SI), Member (SS/RM), Deputy Director General Ms. Rabia Awan (PSLM/PCS), members of the Technical Committee, key stakeholders and senior officers from the Ministry of Planning and PBS.
PBS officials informed that the HIES 2024–25 has been successfully completed and its results formally released after endorsement by the Technical Committee.
The survey provides comprehensive insights into the social and economic conditions of households at national and provincial levels and serves as a critical tool for policy formulation, evaluation and long-term development planning.
HIES has been monitoring Pakistan’s socio-economic indicators since 1963. The last round was conducted in 2018–19, focusing on income and consumption patterns. The survey also supports SDG monitoring, covering 31 out of 62 indicators reported by PBS.
Officials highlighted that HIES 2024–25 is the first fully digital survey of its kind conducted after the Digital Population and Housing Census 2023. Field operations were completed in June 2025 on a quarterly basis, covering a nationally and provincially representative sample of 32,000 households across the country.
A fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system was deployed for data collection, task management and real-time monitoring, ensuring improved data quality, transparency and efficiency.
Presenting the key findings, Deputy Director General Rabia Awan said the survey showed encouraging trends across multiple social sectors. Literacy rate increased to 63 percent from 60 percent nationwide, while the proportion of out-of-school children declined from 30 percent to 28 percent. Gender parity at the primary level improved significantly from 92 percent to 96 percent.
In the health sector, record-based full immunization coverage increased from 68 percent to 73 percent. The neonatal mortality rate declined from 41 to 35 per thousand live births, while infant mortality fell from 60 to 47 per thousand live births. Total fertility rate also showed a marginal decline from 3.7 to 3.6 children per woman.
The survey revealed a sharp rise in digital connectivity. Household mobile or smartphone access reached 96 percent.
Household internet access surged from 34 percent to 70 percent, while the proportion of individuals using the internet increased from 17 percent to 57 percent, reflecting rapid digital inclusion across urban and rural areas.
Energy and living standards indicators also showed improvement. The use of clean fuels, including natural gas, LPG, biogas, solar energy and electricity, for heating, lighting and cooking increased from 35 percent to 38 percent.
Household incomes and consumption levels rose, with food accounting for 37 percent of total consumption, followed by housing and fuel at 26 percent.
Other major expenditure categories included restaurants and hotels (6.63 percent), clothing and footwear (6.28 percent) and transport (6.21 percent) at the national level.
PBS officials said the HIES 2024–25 reflected significant progress in education, health, digital access and household welfare, providing a robust evidence base to guide inclusive, equitable and effective development policies across Pakistan.