Dar chairs PBS meeting to review preparation for holding next census
ISLAMABAD: The government has rejected a proposal to hold population census in phased manner, arguing that it would be contrary to international practices as it was being done simultaneously in all parts of the country throughout the world, The News has learnt.
Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the 9th meeting of the Governing Council of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) here on Saturday to review preparation for holding next population census in the country.
This idea of holding census in phased manner came under discussion but PBS high-ups opposed it by arguing that it was against international practices and political parties as well as provinces would also oppose it in severe manner, said the official sources. But the Finance Minister has rejected this proposal during the meeting.
The Council of Common Interest (CCI) under chairmanship of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had taken decision to hold house listing and census under supervision of the armed forces in one go in March/April 2016.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar made contacts with top brass military leadership for obtaining assistance to undertake this crucial exercise with clear-cut understanding that the census could not be held without army’s support.
Now Pakistan Army’s Air Defence Unit has been currently busy in analysing total requirements of personnel of armed forces for holding the next population census.
During the last population census held in 1998, Pakistan’s Army had deployed around 250000 numerical strength in total 104,000 blocks in all over the country. Now the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) increased number of blocks up to 165,000 in all over the country so they required at least 350000 personnel of armed forces from commander to soldier for holding the next census.
On the issue of counting Afghan nationals, the government decided to ask Balochistan for holding geo-tagging survey in the province on the pattern of Punjab as the province was currently holding a survey in four selected districts to identify Afghan nationals in their respective area.
The meeting was informed that the Balochistan government would send name of provincial census commissioner in next few days as the federal government had already notified provincial census commissioner for remaining three provinces.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar constituted a sub-committee comprising of experts Dr Zeba Sattar and Dr Nizamuddin for providing technical assistance to PBS for making arrangements of the next census.
When contacted to chief census officer Asif Bajwa on Saturday, he said that they would kick-start training of master trainers from January 11, 2016 who would then train whole staff in all over the country for holding the next census. “Our discussions are underway with Pak Army for making arrangements for next census,” he added.
According to statement issued by the Finance Ministry after the meeting, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at the outset welcomed the newly appointed PBS Members and mentioned that they have joined the organisation at very crucial time, just a couple of months before the 6th Population & Housing Census -2016. They will have to shoulder the responsibility of making the census successful, he said. The agenda of the meeting was adopted and the implementation status of the decisions taken in previous meeting was reviewed.
The Chief Statistician, PBS gave a detailed presentation on the preparations for the forthcoming 6th Population and Housing Census in the country. He informed the house that, as per decision of the Governing Council, the PBS has adjusted the target dates for preparation of census reports by December 2017. He said the PBS has initiated all preparations and held meetings with the provincial authorities to brief them about their responsibility in making census successful and transparent.
The finance minister emphasised the importance of the census data and mentioned that census is being conducted after a gap of 17 years. It was the prime responsibility of the PBS to conduct credible census, he added. He directed that utmost care should be taken to complete this task in a transparent manner so that the data is credible. Such data, he said, can then form the basis for future planning.
It was agreed that qualified and highly reputed Statisticians would be co-opted as members of the Technical Committee to provide their professional input on conduct of census. The finance minister directed that frequent meetings of the technical committee be held leading up to the census and suggestions of experts be brought to the Governing Council for consideration.
The finance minister along with all the participants, on the occasion also bid farewell to the outgoing Secretary Statistics Division Israr Ahmad Malik, who is retiring on 4th January, 2016 and prayed for his good health.
