Islamabad: A newly developed district-level welfare index highlights significant differences in living conditions across Pakistan, revealing surprising rankings among the country’s districts. The index, created using Census 2023 data, places Islamabad at the top, followed by Central Karachi. Sialkot ranks third, notably ahead of Lahore, which comes in fifth. This comprehensive index considers factors beyond income, such as education, housing, electricity access, sanitation, and household facilities.

According to Gilani Research Foundation, Sialkot’s high ranking reflects its industrial base and export-driven economy, translating into better outcomes for residents compared to larger metropolitan centers like Lahore. Islamabad’s leading position highlights its evolution into a major urban center with strong performance across welfare indicators. The rankings also point to an uneven distribution of development gains, with Punjab and major urban centers dominating the list. This underscores the need for policies that extend welfare improvements to less-represented regions, such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, interior Sindh, and Balochistan, to achieve balanced development nationwide. The analysis was conducted by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, using data from the Pakistan Population Census 2023 as part of their Welfare Index Dashboard.