Pakistan has become one of the biggest short-video markets on the planet — and now the numbers are official. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has told parliament that the country has 96 million YouTube users and 100 million TikTok users, making Pakistan the number one country in the world for YouTube video viewing. PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman shared the figures before the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom on Tuesday, painting a picture of a nation that lives on video. Pakistanis now watch 560 million YouTube videos every single day, according to the report published by TechX.
96 million on YouTube, 150 million TikTok accounts
The headline figures are striking. YouTube counts 96 million users in Pakistan, and they watch 560 million videos daily — enough to put Pakistan first in the world for YouTube viewing. On TikTok, 100 million registered users sit behind an even larger active base: 150 million accounts actively watch or upload videos, which means many Pakistanis run more than one account. Just two years ago, PTA data showed about 71.7 million YouTube users, so the platform has added roughly 25 million users in under two years. TikTok has grown even faster — from around 54 million users in early 2024 to 100 million today. As reported separately, Pakistan also has 100 million WhatsApp users, covered in detail in our earlier piece on the same committee briefing.
A young nation streaming at record scale
Behind the numbers is a familiar story. Pakistan is a young country of roughly 240 million people, smartphone prices have been falling, and affordable mobile data plans have put streaming in nearly every pocket. That combination has turned the country into a global video giant — ahead of much larger economies in sheer YouTube consumption. The same committee session heard how video at this scale is a national phenomenon, not just a passing trend. The figures were presented at the highest level, directly to the lawmakers who oversee Pakistan’s digital policy.
The creator economy and the monetisation gap
A user base this large creates a serious creator economy. With 150 million TikTok accounts posting or watching, the volume of local content being produced is enormous — and Pakistani creators are increasingly part of the global content conversation. Yet the gap remains: Pakistani creators earn far less than peers in Western markets for similar audiences. That gap is slowly closing as global advertisers pay more attention to South Asia. Global platforms are expected to invest more in Pakistan-specific content, localisation and advertising tools as the audience numbers keep swelling.
The strain on networks — and the gender gap
Video at this scale puts enormous pressure on telecom infrastructure. IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the same committee that social media and artificial intelligence have sharply increased data consumption, noting that steps are being taken to improve telecom services. If videos buffer in the evening or speeds dip at peak hours, part of the reason is that 560 million YouTube videos plus TikTok traffic are being pulled through the same networks every 24 hours. Another challenge is the digital gender divide: earlier PTA data has shown male users make up roughly 72 to 78 percent of audiences on YouTube and TikTok in Pakistan. The Ministry of IT has been working with UNESCO and civil society groups to bring more women online — a goal that grows more urgent as social media becomes a primary source of news, entertainment and income for millions.
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