Multan District
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Multan District (Urdu: ضِلع مُلتان), is a district in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Its capital is the city of Multan. The district has a population of 5.45 million (as of 2024) and an area of 3,720 square kilometres. The district consists of tehsils of Multan saddar, Multan city, Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad.
History
Multan district was created during British rule in 19th century. Vehari, Khanewal and Lodhran were Tehsils of Multan district. Vehari was made separate district in 1976. Khanewal was cut off from Multan and made a separate district in 1985. Lodhran was split off as a separate district from Multan in 1991.
Location
Multan District is surrounded by the Khanewal to the North and North East, the Vehari to the East and Lodhran to the South. The Chenab River passes on its Western side, across which lies Muzaffargarh. Bahawalpur district is to the south across the Sutlej.
Administration
The district is administratively divided into the following tehsils (subdivisions):
| Tehsil | Area (km²) | Pop. (2023) | Density (ppl/km²)(2023) | Literacy rate (2023) | Union Councils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalalpur Pirwala | 978 | 608,488 | 622.18 | 38.50% | ... |
| Multan City | 304 | 2,555,486 | 8,406.20 | 73.65% | ... |
| Multan Saddar | 1,632 | 1,516,004 | 928.92 | 52.01% | ... |
| Shujabad | 806 | 682,327 | 846.56 | 53.87% | ... |
Demographics
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 725,131 | — |
| 1961 | 983,815 | +3.10% |
| 1972 | 1,506,223 | +3.95% |
| 1981 | 1,970,075 | +3.03% |
| 1998 | 3,116,851 | +2.74% |
| 2017 | 4,746,166 | +2.24% |
| 2023 | 5,362,305 | +2.06% |
| Sources: |
As of the 2023 census, Multan district has 886,392 households and a population of 5,362,305. The district has a sex ratio of 103.77 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 61.41%: 67.28% for males and 55.27% for females. 1,398,159 (26.18% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age. 2,499,871 (46.62%) live in urban areas.
Religion
| Religion | Percent | |
| Islam | 99.15% | |
| Christianity | 0.79% | |
| Other or not stated | 0.06% |
| Religious group | 1941 | 2017 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Islam | 428,659 | 79.4% | 4,716,267 | 99.37% | 5,295,315 | 99.15% |
| Hinduism | 101,985 | 18.89% | 2,366 | 0.05% | 1,709 | 0.03% |
| Sikhism | 6,802 | 1.26% | —N/a | —N/a | 120 | 0% |
| Christianity | 1,012 | 0.19% | 25,693 | 0.54% | 42,155 | 0.79% |
| Ahmadi | —N/a | —N/a | 1,665 | 0.04% | 1,105 | 0.02% |
| Others | 1,428 | 0.26% | 175 | 0% | 358 | 0.01% |
| Total Population | 539,886 | 100% | 4,746,166 | 100% | 5,340,762 | 100% |
| Note: 1941 census data is for Multan and Shujabad tehsils of Multan District, which roughly corresponds to contemporary Multan district. District and tehsil borders have changed since 1941. |
| Religious group | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Islam | 435,901 | 78.97% | 503,962 | 79.81% | 570,254 | 80.25% | 665,488 | 81.67% | 731,605 | 82.18% | 942,937 | 80.26% | 1,157,911 | 78.01% |
| Hinduism | 112,001 | 20.29% | 122,714 | 19.43% | 133,560 | 18.79% | 126,603 | 15.54% | 134,013 | 15.05% | 182,029 | 15.49% | 249,872 | 16.83% |
| Sikhism | 2,085 | 0.38% | 2,832 | 0.45% | 4,662 | 0.66% | 19,881 | 2.44% | 18,562 | 2.08% | 39,453 | 3.36% | 61,628 | 4.15% |
| Christianity | 1,861 | 0.34% | 1,892 | 0.3% | 1,964 | 0.28% | 2,441 | 0.3% | 6,006 | 0.67% | 9,924 | 0.84% | 14,290 | 0.96% |
| Zoroastrianism | 63 | 0.01% | 9 | 0% | 52 | 0.01% | 58 | 0.01% | 47 | 0.01% | 117 | 0.01% | 77 | 0.01% |
| Jainism | 47 | 0.01% | 24 | 0% | 134 | 0.02% | 394 | 0.05% | 28 | 0% | 440 | 0.04% | 552 | 0.04% |
| Buddhism | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Judaism | —N/a | —N/a | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 6 | 0% | 3 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 3 | 0% |
| Others | 6 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Total population | 551,964 | 100% | 631,434 | 100% | 710,626 | 100% | 814,871 | 100% | 890,264 | 100% | 1,174,900 | 100% | 1,484,333 | 100% |
| Note: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. |
| Tehsil | Islam | Hinduism | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Multan Tehsil | 196,963 | 80.93% | 40,945 | 16.82% | 3,250 | 1.34% | 2,149 | 0.88% | 28 | 0.01% | 50 | 0.02% | 243,385 | 100% |
| Shujabad Tehsil | 111,051 | 84.07% | 20,418 | 15.46% | 610 | 0.46% | 12 | 0.01% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 132,091 | 100% |
| Lodhran Tehsil | 103,838 | 82.84% | 21,197 | 16.91% | 311 | 0.25% | 7 | 0.01% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 125,353 | 100% |
| Mailsi Tehsil | 99,191 | 87.07% | 13,079 | 11.48% | 1,657 | 1.45% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 113,927 | 100% |
| Khanewal Tehsil | 94,274 | 74.16% | 21,619 | 17.01% | 7,431 | 5.85% | 3,807 | 2.99% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 127,131 | 100% |
| Kabirwala Tehsil | 126,288 | 85.11% | 16,755 | 11.29% | 5,303 | 3.57% | 31 | 0.02% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 148,377 | 100% |
| Note: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. |
| Tehsil | Islam | Hinduism | Sikhism | Christianity | Jainism | Others | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Multan Tehsil | 273,637 | 76.07% | 78,566 | 21.84% | 5,225 | 1.45% | 871 | 0.24% | 499 | 0.14% | 929 | 0.26% | 359,727 | 100% |
| Shujabad Tehsil | 155,022 | 86.05% | 23,419 | 13% | 1,577 | 0.88% | 141 | 0.08% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 180,159 | 100% |
| Lodhran Tehsil | 175,642 | 82.59% | 33,246 | 15.63% | 3,519 | 1.65% | 218 | 0.1% | 1 | 0% | 48 | 0.02% | 212,674 | 100% |
| Mailsi Tehsil | 213,413 | 75.92% | 43,866 | 15.6% | 21,131 | 7.52% | 2,679 | 0.95% | 18 | 0.01% | 2 | 0% | 281,109 | 100% |
| Khanewal Tehsil | 176,892 | 70.06% | 41,908 | 16.6% | 24,380 | 9.66% | 9,142 | 3.62% | 34 | 0.01% | 115 | 0.05% | 252,471 | 100% |
| Kabirwala Tehsil | 163,305 | 82.4% | 28,867 | 14.57% | 5,796 | 2.92% | 219 | 0.11% | 0 | 0% | 6 | 0% | 198,193 | 100% |
| Note1: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. Note2: Tehsil religious breakdown figures for Christianity only includes local Christians, labeled as "Indian Christians" on census. Does not include Anglo-Indian Christians or British Christians, who were classified under "Other" category. |
Language
At the time of the 2023 census, 63.89% of the population spoke Saraiki, 17.72% Urdu, 16.00% Punjabi and 0.94% Mewati as their first language.
Tehsils
History
Multan district was annexed by the British from its former Sikh rulers after the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848–1849.