Enumerators unpaid for months after census completion

Islamabad:Even months after the completion of the Seventh Population and Housing Census in Islamabad, enumerators, mostly teachers of the Federal Directorate of Education-run schools and colleges, have complained they've yet to receive payments for the crucial services they rendered during the excessive exercise.

They told 'The News' that in February 2023, they were promised a daily payment of Rs.1500 for the five-day training session for the population census, but to their dismay, no payments had yet been disbursed for those days. The enumerators also said authorities also assured them of Rs50,000 payment each for 30-day census duty but the amount had yet to be paid distressing them.

They said authorities had initially pledged to provide transportation services for the employees during their census duty, but the promise was only extended to a select few posted to certain areas. The census workers claimed that the majority of teachers engaged for the extensive exercise had to arrange transport by themselves despite financial constraints. They said despite those challenges, they remained committed to their assignment, worked diligently even on weekends and during holidays to complete the survey, and returned the electronic gadgets used for data recording to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Abdul Ghani, who served as an enumerator during the census, expressed his disappointment at the long delay in payments.

"Regrettably, while provincial employees have received their due payments, the federal employees find themselves running from pillar to post in search of their remuneration. The delay has left over 1100 enumerators and 116 supervisors frustrated and facing financial hardships. This situation is particularly distressing as many of these employees were forcefully engaged for census work, disrupting the academic session and negatively impacting student learning," he said.

Professor Tahir Bhatti, a census supervisor, urged the PBS to expedite due payments to enumerators and supervisors. He said the delay in remunerating the census staff not only undermined their dedication and commitment to public service but also exacerbated their financial hardships.

"We urge the prime minister to intervene for an immediate end to the misery of unpaid enumerators while acknowledging their significant contribution to the successful completion of the Seventh Population and Housing Census," he said. The census workers said recognizing and fulfilling their dues by authorities was not just a matter of financial compensation but it was also a matter of respect and acknowledgment for the tireless efforts they put in to complete the census with accuracy.