Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

What Pakistan Bureau of Statistics does

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) is Pakistan's official National Statistical Office, operating as an attached department of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives under the General Statistics (Reorganization) Act 2011. Established through the merger of the Federal Bureau of Statistics, Population Census Organization, Agriculture Census Organization, and the technical wing of the Statistics Division, PBS holds the statutory mandate to collect, compile, and disseminate official statistics on demographics, economics, trade, agriculture, industry, energy, mining, and social sectors. Its core products include the decennial Population & Housing Census (the 2023 Digital Census covering 241.49 million people), recurring surveys (PSLM, HIES, LFS, PDS), price indices (CPI, SPI, WPI, RPI), quarterly national accounts and GDP estimates, and external trade statistics, supported by an in-house technology stack comprising 8 GIS Labs with ESRI ArcGIS, tablet-based price collection systems, a Data Processing Center with 50 Server VMs and 500+ network nodes, and platforms such as the Decision Support System on Inflation (DSSI), Trade Statistics Dashboard, and Budget Management & Information System (BM&IS).

PBS serves federal and provincial government ministries, international organizations (UN, IMF, World Bank, ADB), research institutions, financial sector entities (State Bank of Pakistan, commercial banks), and private users under a tiered data dissemination policy that supplies data free to government agencies and UN bodies while charging commercial rates to international agencies, NGOs, and foreign users. Primary funding flows from the federal government's annual budget allocation and Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) project grants; secondary revenue comes from data dissemination fees and publication sales. The organization operates through a network of 18 regional offices, 16 field offices, and 495 Census Support Centers spanning all four provinces plus Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and engages in international statistical cooperation through bilateral MoUs and partnerships with multilateral bodies.

Name

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

Legal name

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

Website

https://pbs.gov.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Pakistan's official National Statistical Office, conducting the Digital Census, recurring household surveys, price indices, national accounts, and trade statistics for federal and provincial governments, international organizations, and researchers under the Ministry of Planning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Statistical Services

SIC

Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

National Statistics & Census Administration (BPAIAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics (BPAIAJAM)

Keywords

• Official statistical services
• Population census data
• Economic survey data
• National accounts compilation
• Price index statistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Islamabad

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Data Dissemination Fees: PBS charges fees for data access based on user type and data format. Survey datasets cost Rs. 3,000 locally or $1,000 for foreign users (semi-govt/private/educational institutions), while trade data and price indices have tiered pricing from Rs. 200-5,000 depending on period and user category. Government agencies receive data free of cost.
2. Government Budget Allocation: Funded through the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives annual budget allocation. PBS operates as a government department with funding from Federal Government budget under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for specific projects.
3. Publication Sales: Revenue from sale of census publications and statistical reports. Head of Account C02401 – Sale of Census Publications shows receipts under government treasury accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) is the official National Statistical Office of Pakistan responsible for the collection, compilation, and dissemination of official statistics on demographics, economics, trade, agriculture, industry, energy, mining, and social sectors. Its core offerings include the Digital Population and Housing Census, recurring household surveys (PSLM, HIES, LFS, PDS), price indices (CPI, WPI, SPI, RPI), National Accounts (GDP, GVA, GFCF), External Trade Statistics, Economic and Agriculture Censuses, and standardized classifications delivered through web portals, GIS dashboards, and tiered data dissemination services.

Product overview

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) operates as a unified statistical agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of statistical products and services. The core offerings include population and housing census (Digital Census 2023 with 241.49 million population), economic surveys (PSLM, HIES, LFS, PDS), price indices (CPI, SPI, WPI, RPI), national accounts compilation, external trade statistics, and agricultural/livestock censuses. Supporting infrastructure consists of GIS services with 8 specialized labs, 34 regional/field offices, and data dissemination platforms including NSDP (IMF standards). Internal technology platforms include Decision Support System on Inflation (DSSI), Price Management Information System (PMIS), Budget Management Information System (BM&IS), and tablet-based price collection systems. The product ecosystem is unified under the national statistical office mandate, serving government policymakers, provincial governments, researchers, and international organizations with standardized statistical data aligned with international classifications and dissemination standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Price Statistics Collection and dissemination of Consumer Price Index (CPI), Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), Wholesale Price Index (WPI), and Retail Price Index (RPI) data on weekly, monthly, and annual basis across 50+ markets in Pakistan, serving government policymakers, researchers, and the public.
• National Accounts Compilation of quarterly and annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates, Gross Value Added (GVA), Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), and per capita income at current and constant prices for Pakistan's federal and provincial governments, central bank, and international organizations.
• Pakistan Social & Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM) District and provincial-level household survey measuring social indicators, living standards, education, health, and SDG progress across Pakistan for government planners, researchers, and international organizations.
• Labour Force Survey (LFS) Annual survey providing data on employment, unemployment, labor force participation rates, occupational distribution, and wages at national, provincial, and district levels, supporting employment policy and SDG monitoring.
• Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) Provincial-level household survey measuring income, expenditure, consumption patterns, and economic well-being of Pakistani households for poverty analysis, fiscal planning, and academic research.
• Pakistan Demographic Survey (PDS) Demographic survey providing data on fertility, mortality, migration, and population dynamics to supplement census data and support health and population policy planning.
• Population & Housing Census Decennial comprehensive enumeration of Pakistan's population and housing; the 2023 Digital Census was the first-ever digital census covering 241.49 million people with geo-tagged structures and real-time monitoring across 185,489 blocks.
• Economic Census Comprehensive enumeration of all economic establishments in Pakistan covering manufacturing, services, trade, and other economic activities, providing the basis for the Business Register and economic analysis.
• Agriculture Census Census covering agricultural holdings, livestock population, machinery, and crops providing complete agricultural statistics for Pakistan for policy planning and food security analysis.
• External Trade Statistics Compilation and dissemination of import, export, and trade balance data with detailed commodity and country breakdowns on monthly and annual basis, serving trade policy makers, financial sector analysts, and international organizations.
• Industry Statistics / Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM) Monthly Large Scale Manufacturing (LSM) data and Quantum Index of Manufacturing measuring industrial output across key sectors for industrial policy and GDP compilation.
• Energy & Mining Statistics Statistics on energy production, consumption, and mining sector activities in Pakistan for energy policy planning and National Accounts compilation.
• Social Statistics Data on education, health, sports, culture, and other social sectors compiled from various administrative sources for policymakers and SDG monitoring.
• GIS Services Geographic Information System services including digitized census block maps with satellite imagery, administrative boundary layers, and GIS-based dashboards for census monitoring, available to government agencies, researchers, and international organizations.
• National Summary Data Pakistan (NSDP) IMF-enhanced General Data Dissemination System portal providing standardized macroeconomic, financial, and demographic data for international comparison, accessible to government, researchers, and international organizations.
• Data Dissemination Services Supply of statistical data in tabular, micro-data, and GIS formats to government, private sector, researchers, and international organizations under PBS's Data Dissemination Policy with tiered pricing by user category.
• Sample Design Services Technical services for sample design of surveys including sample size estimation, stratification, allocation, and selection using latest statistical methodologies and the Census 2023 frame.
• Mouza Census Village-level census providing comprehensive rural area frame data for agricultural and rural development planning across Pakistan.
• Business Register Comprehensive database of all registered businesses and establishments in Pakistan serving as a survey sampling frame for economic surveys and business demographics analysis.
• Classifications Services Standard classifications including Pakistan Standard Classification of Occupations (PSCO), Central Product Classification (CPC), ISIC Rev.4, and PSIC for consistent data reporting and international comparability.
• PBS Library Library with lending and reference services for registered members and walk-in users, providing access to 41,800+ monographs, government publications, census reports, and international organization reports covering statistics, economics, and demographics.
• Field Services Network of 18 regional offices and 16 field offices across Pakistan conducting price collection, census operations, and survey fieldwork with 495 Census Support Centers at district level for nationwide coverage.

Quantifiable outcome

• 241.49 million population counted in 2023 Census with real-time digital monitoring
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.

• SMEDA (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025MoU signed at DataFest 2025 for collaboration in data sharing and policy research to support SME development in Pakistan
• SECP (Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025MoU signed at DataFest 2025 for data sharing and policy research collaboration in regulatory and economic statistics
• NPMC (National Price Monitoring Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025MoU signed at DataFest 2025 for coordination on price monitoring data and inflation statistics
• Planning & Development Department of BalochistanregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025MoU signed at DataFest 2025 for data sharing and regional development planning in Balochistan province
• UNICEF PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Technical assistance for child labour surveys, demographic surveys, and SDG monitoring in Pakistan. Active participation in DataFest 2025
• UNFPA PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Collaboration on population and demographic surveys, census support, and reproductive health statistics
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Technical assistance for quarterly GDP data compilation, statistical capacity building, and international data standards implementation
• FAO PakistanregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Collaboration on agriculture statistics, food security data, and agricultural census support
• UNHCR PakistanregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Data collaboration on refugee and displaced population statistics in Pakistan
• UNDP PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Partnership on SDGs data monitoring, human development indicators, and statistical capacity building
• SESRIC (Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025International statistical cooperation with OIC member countries on methodology and best practices
• Azerbaijan Statistical OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025International delegation participation in DataFest 2025 for bilateral statistical cooperation
• Iran Statistical OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral MoU for statistical cooperation and exchange of methodologies between Pakistan and Iran
• Sri Lanka Statistical OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral MoU for statistical cooperation and exchange of best practices in official statistics

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Statistical Office (MOSPI), India: India's apex statistical body under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, conducting the Population Census, NSSO surveys, CPI, and national accounts. The most relevant South Asian peer to PBS given geographic proximity, similar data priorities, and overlapping SDG monitoring roles.
• National Bureau of Statistics of China: China's national statistical agency producing GDP, CPI, census (conducted 2020), and industrial output statistics. Comparable in scale and mandate to PBS, with a similarly large sample-frame-driven survey program and tiered data dissemination.
• Australian Bureau of Statistics: Australia's national statistical office conducting the 5-yearly census, labour force surveys, and CPI. Directly comparable to PBS in function, and a recognized leader in digital census methodology that PBS could benchmark against for future digital census cycles.
• Statistics Canada: Canada's national statistical agency conducting the quinquennial census, economic statistics, and price indices. Comparable in its digital census transformation (2016/2021), wide product portfolio, and use of administrative data and GIS for population statistics.
• U.S. Census Bureau: The U.S. federal statistical agency mandated to conduct the decennial census and produce official economic, demographic, and social statistics. Directly comparable to PBS as a national statistical office with an exclusive statutory mandate, conducting a digital census, and disseminating tiered-priced data products.
• Office for National Statistics (UK): UK's national statistical institute producing official statistics on economy, population, and society. Comparable to PBS in mandate, digital data dissemination, and modernized census/survey programs, including a digital 2021 Census and a 2023 strategy focused on admin-data-driven statistics.

Regional players

• Statistics Indonesia (BPS): Indonesia's national statistical office, comparable in emerging-market context, conducting decennial census, price indices, and national accounts. A relevant regional peer for PBS in terms of scale, digital census execution (2020), and dissemination through tiered data portals.

Broad incumbents

• UN Statistics Division: The UN's central statistical body setting international statistical standards (SDG framework, classifications) and aggregating national data. PBS's NSDP and SDG dashboards explicitly link to UNSD methodology, making it a structural partner and benchmark.
• Eurostat: EU's supranational statistical office harmonizing statistics across member states. Comparable to PBS in producing standardized CPI, GDP, and trade statistics, and in driving methodology alignment, though at a multi-country level rather than for Pakistan specifically.
• IMF Statistics Department: Sets the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and General Data Dissemination System (GDDS) under which PBS's NSDP operates. Provides technical assistance to PBS on national accounts and balance-of-payments compilation — a key counterpart and capacity-building partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PakStat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PakistanBureauofStatistics
• Facebookfacebook.com/PakStat
• Instagraminstagram.com/PBSofficialpak
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pakistan-bureau-of-statistics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pakistan Bureau of Statistics