Islamabad: Over the past five decades, Punjab's energy sector has expanded dramatically alongside economic growth, industrial development, and rising household electrification. Data from the Bureau of Statistics show that gas consumption, electricity demand, electricity connections, and power sector revenues all increased substantially between the early 1970s and 2020-21. Natural gas consumption expanded more than eleven-fold during this period, while electricity demand increased nearly twenty-five times. At the same time, the number of electricity consumers increased to over 24.6 million, reflecting widespread electrification and expansion of the provincial electricity network. These long-term trends highlight the growing role of energy infrastructure in supporting economic development, industrialization, and household welfare across Punjab.

Gallup Pakistan's Big Data series was initiated by Bilal I. Gilani, Executive Director of Gallup Pakistan. As he explains: 'Pakistan does not suffer from a lack of data, but from limited accessibility and weak translation of numbers into understanding. Gallup Pakistan bridges this

gap by analyzing large, often under-used datasets - from PSLM and Labour Force Surveys to Economic Surveys and National Census data - so these statistics can meaningfully inform policy and public discourse.'

What data points this current edition covers: This analysis uses long-term data from the 50 Years of Punjab Statistics report covering 1971-72 to 2020-21. Tables used include 10.1-10.3c. Indicators analyzed include: i. Gas consumption by sector, ii. Electricity consumer growth, iii. Electricity demand (units sold), iv. Electricity connections issued, v. Electricity sector revenues.

Gas consumption increased from 157,252 to 1,803,986 (000) deca cubic meters between 1971-72 and 2020-21. Electricity consumers increased from 924,000 to approximately 24.6 million over the same period. Electricity demand rose from 3,052 million kWh to 76,185 million kWh -nearly a 25-fold increase. Electricity revenue increased from Rs. 448 million to over Rs. 1.4 trillion. New electricity connections increased from approximately 61,900 annually to over 1.33 million - a rise of more than 2,100%. Household consumers account for the largest share of electricity connections and demand growth.

Gas consumption in Punjab expanded significantly over the past fifty years, rising from 157,252 (000) deca cubic meters in 1971-72 to 1,803,986 (000) deca cubic meters in 2020-21. Industrial consumption remained the dominant component throughout this period, increasing from 150,553 to 1,261,950 (000) deca cubic meters, reflecting the sustained expansion of energy-intensive industries. However, the structure of gas consumption also evolved over time. Household gas consumption increased sharply from 2,510 to 500,303 (000) deca cubic meters, indicating the expansion of gas access and rising residential energy demand. This shift reflects urbanization, population growth, and improvements in household living standards. As a result, while industrial use continues to dominate in absolute terms, the share of household consumption has increased significantly over time, pointing to a gradual broadening of gas usage beyond industrial activity.

Electricity access expanded substantially across Punjab over the past five decades. The number of electricity consumers increased from 924,000 in 1971-72 to approximately 24.6 million in 2020-21 (after

adjusting for reporting units). Household consumers account for the majority of this expansion, increasing from 670,000 to over 21 million connections. This reflects widespread electrification and the transformation of electricity into a basic household necessity. Commercial, industrial, and agricultural connections also increased steadily, reflecting broader economic activity and agricultural modernization. The scale of growth indicates not only infrastructure expansion but also a structural shift in energy access, with electricity becoming nearly universal across large segments of the population.

Over time, the composition of electricity consumers in Punjab has shifted markedly toward household usage. In 1971-72, households accounted for approximately 72.5% of all electricity consumers, while

commercial and industrial users represented a much larger combined share than today. By 2020-21, households constituted nearly 87% of all electricity consumers, indicating a significant structural shift in electricity access. In contrast, the share of industrial consumers declined from over 5% to nearly 1%, while commercial and agricultural shares also reduced proportionally. This trend reflects the large-scale expansion of residential electrification, with electricity access increasingly concentrated among households rather than productive sectors.

Electricity demand increased sharply from 3,052 million kWh in 1971-72 to 76,185 million kWh in 2020-21. While industrial consumption remains a key contributor, the composition of electricity demand has

diversified over time. Residential demand has increased significantly due to rising appliance usage, while agricultural demand expanded with the use of electric tubewells. The growth in electricity demand outpaced population growth, indicating increasing per-capita energy

consumption and deeper integration of electricity into economic and household activities..

The number of new electricity connections issued annually increased from approximately 61,900 in 1971-72 to 1,333,500 in 2020-21.

This represents an increase of over 2,100%, highlighting the rapid expansion of electricity access across the province. The majority of new connections were issued to households and commercial users, reflecting ongoing urban expansion and rising demand for residential electricity. The data suggest that infrastructure expansion largely kept pace with growing demand, enabling continued increases in electricity access over time.

Electricity sector revenues increased dramatically from Rs. 448 million in 1971-72 to Rs. 1.4 trillion in 2020-21. This growth reflects the combined effects of increased electricity demand, expansion of the consumer base, and rising tariffs over time. The sharp increase in revenues underscores the growing economic importance of the energy sector and its central role in supporting industrial and household consumption.

Taken together, these trends show that Punjab's energy system expanded significantly in both scale and reach over the past five decades. Gas consumption increased more than eleven-fold, electricity demand grew nearly twenty-five times, and electricity access expanded to tens of millions of consumers. These changes reflect broader structural transformations, including industrialization, urbanization, and rising household living standards. The data highlight how energy infrastructure has become a central pillar of Punjab's long-term economic development.

To facilitate international comparison, electricity revenues have been converted from Pakistani Rupees into US Dollars using approximate historical annual average exchange rates drawn from IMF and World Bank datasets. The conversion uses benchmark rates of approximately PKR 11 per USD for 1971-72, PKR 21.7 per USD for 1990-91, PKR 52 per USD for 2000-01, PKR 85 per USD for 2010-11, and PKR

160 per USD for 2020-21, reflecting prevailing market conditions in each period. These conversions provide an indicative comparison of real scale over time but should be interpreted with caution, as exchange rates fluctuate within years and do not account for domestic inflation or changes in purchasing power.

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The views and inferences expressed in the article are that of the author himself and Gallup Pakistan does not take any responsibility in this regard. This series, and many such initiatives, are internally funded by Gallup Pakistan and Gilani Research Foundation. No outside country or local funding has been received for this current activity.