Labour Force Participation Rates in Pakistan: 1901-1961

Projection of future patterns of population change or economic growth is usually improved when trends over considerable time-periods are available for extrapolation or are used as a check on underlying assumptions. However, historical demographic data for Pakistan are limited. Before independence in 1947, data were available only for India as a whole or for districts, some of which were divided between Pakistan and India at the time of independence. By detailed examination and analysis of district reports from the censuses of India, it is possible to reconstruct demographic changes for the areas now comprising Pakistan. Two such studies have been undertaken in the Demo¬graphic Section of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics: the first was a study of boundary changes and population changes from 1881 to 1961 [29]. The second, reported here, is a study of the labour force of Pakistan, 1901-1961.