Mobile phone ownership and household internet connectivity have significantly increased across Pakistan over the past five years, yet the availability of computers and laptops at the household level has remained unchanged, reveals Pakistan Social and Living Standard – Household Integrated Economic Survey (PSLM-HEIS) 2024-2025 conducted by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

According to PBS, only 14 percent of households in Pakistan owned a computer, laptop, or tablet in 2024-205, the same proportion recorded in 2018–19 survey.

Over the same period, individual mobile phone or smart phone ownership has increased from 45 percent to 50 percent, while the household internet access increased from 34 percent to 70 percent.

Growth in household internet availability coincides with wider expansion in the telecom sector. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority reported that by 2025 Pakistan had more than 200 million telecom subscribers, including over 150 million broadband users and more than two million fiber-to-the-home connections.

How do provinces fare in access to information and communication technologies?

In terms of computer, laptop, or tablet availability at the household level, Punjab and Sindh reported the highest coverage at 15 percent each, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 13 percent. Balochistan recorded the lowest level of household computer availability at six percent.

For individual mobile phone ownership, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa led with 51 percent, followed by Punjab and Sindh at 50 percent each, while Balochistan recorded 42 percent.

Household internet availability was also highest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 77 percent, followed by Punjab and Balochistan at 69 percent each, and Sindh at 67 percent.

All figures are based on data from the PSLM–HEIS dashboard maintained by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.