Total population
5,564,703 2023 Census
Rahim Yar Khan District
Rahim Yar Khan District is the most populous district of Bahawalpur Division, spanning 11,880 km² along major national highways and the Indus corridor. Its economy is dominated by agriculture, trade, and cross-regional connectivity, with significant urban centres and extensive rural and desert areas.
Basic information
Total area
11,880 km²
Administrative units
4 tehsils · 139 union councils · 1,150 villages
Administrative scale
Indicators
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total population (2023 Census) | 5,564,703 |
| Tehsils | 4 |
| Union councils | 139 |
| Villages | 1,150 |
| Total area | 11,880 km² |
| Schools | 3,102 |
| Colleges | 18 |
| Hospitals | 1 DHQ · 4 THQ · 1 Civil |
| Police stations | 80 (4 circles) |
Educational institutions
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Schools | 3,102 |
| Colleges | 18 |
Hospitals
| Facility type | Count |
|---|---|
| DHQ Hospital | 1 |
| THQ Hospitals | 4 |
| Civil Hospital | 1 |
Police stations (by circle)
| Circle | Stations |
|---|---|
| Sadiq Abad | 13 |
| Rahim Yar Khan | 36 |
| Khan Pur | 16 |
| Liaquat Pur | 15 |
| Total | 80 |
National Assembly constituencies
| Constituency | Name (Party) |
|---|---|
| NA-169 Rahim Yar Khan-I | Syed Murtaza Mahmud (PPP) |
| NA-170 Rahim Yar Khan-II | Mian Ghous Muhammad (IND) |
| NA-171 Rahim Yar Khan-III | Mumtaz Mustafa (IND) |
| NA-172 Rahim Yar Khan-IV | Jawaid Iqbal Waraich (IND) |
| NA-173 Rahim Yar Khan-V | Syed Mustafa Mehmood (PPP) |
| NA-174 Rahim Yar Khan-VI | Muhamad Azhar Khan Leghari (PML-N) |
Provincial Assembly constituencies
| Constituency | Name (Party) |
|---|---|
| PP-255 Rahim Yar Khan-I | Ghazanfar Ali Khan (PPP) |
| PP-256 Rahim Yar Khan-II | Qazi Ahmed Saeed (PPP) |
| PP-257 Rahim Yar Khan-III | Mehmood Ahmed (PML-N) |
| PP-258 Rahim Yar Khan-IV | Chaudhary Muhammad Ejaz Shafi (IND) |
| PP-259 Rahim Yar Khan-V | Faisal Jamil (IND) |
| PP-260 Rahim Yar Khan-VI | Saima Kanwal (IND) |
| PP-261 Rahim Yar Khan-VII | Jam Aman Ullah (IND) |
| PP-262 Rahim Yar Khan-VIII | Asif Majeed (IND) |
| PP-263 Rahim Yar Khan-IX | Muhammad Naeem (IND) |
| PP-264 Rahim Yar Khan-X | Habib Ur Rehman Khan (PPP) |
| PP-265 Rahim Yar Khan-XI | Sajjad Ahmad Warraich (IND) |
| PP-266 Rahim Yar Khan-XII | Mumtaz Ali (PPP) |
| PP-267 Rahim Yar Khan-XIII | Rais Nabeel Ahmad (PPP) |
Priority issues & challenges
1. Road Infrastructure
Rahim Yar Khan has 3,000+ km of roads, but weak rural links and flood damage leave about 65% of the rural population with poor connectivity despite access to major highways.
2. Water Crisis
Around 40–50% groundwater is saline/contaminated, and only 60–65% population has safe drinking water, with severe scarcity in Cholistan and uneven irrigation issues.
3. Health and Education
The district has 1 DHQ and multiple THQ hospitals for 4.8+ million people, with 1 bed per 1,500–1,800 people. Literacy is 50–55%, with 300,000+ out-of-school children.
4. Economic and Employment
Unemployment is 6–8%, with over 40% workforce in agriculture, and poverty around 25–30%, despite an agriculture-based economy.
5. Social and Governance
Female literacy is 15–20% lower than males, and over 10,000 FIRs annually reflect governance and law-and-order pressures.
6. Environmental Challenges
The district faces flooding, drought, and desertification, with 30–40% desert land at risk, plus waterlogging and soil salinity in irrigated areas.