PBS determined to hold population census from March 15

Islamabad: With expenditure estimates of Rs 30 billion, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) is all set to conduct the much-awaited 6th population census 2017 from March 15 as it has finalised security and other arrangements with the concerned quarters to ensure, secure and smooth execution of this important nationwide exercise.

As per the estimates, an amount of about Rs30 billion would be the total expenditure of this total exercise, PBS Chief Statistics and Chief Census Commissioner, Asif Bajwa informed media persons during a day-long workshop organised to educate the media person about this important exercise.

He said that an amount of Rs7.5 billion has been released and disbursed to provinces to make arrangements for this national exercise.

Bajwa said that as per the plan, the exercise would be conducted in two phases and the PBS has already recruited as enumerators to hold count in 168,120 census blocks across the country, adding that one enumerator would be responsible for counting two blocks, each block consisting of about 200 blocks.

He informed the media persons that the Pakistan Army has reserved as many as 200,000 jawans to ensure security of census staff adding that one jawans each would be engaged with an enumerator.

To a question, he said that the other security agencies including police would also perform the duties in accordance with their protocol to ensure secure census.

Bajwa, while highlighting the importance of census said that the National Finance Award and seats in the National Assembly are distributed on the basis of population, so holding census was imperative.

He said that the exercise that is going to start on March 15 would conclude on June 5, adding the summary results of the population would be made public after 60 days of census while the detailed reports may take about one and a half year as it has to pass through many stages.

Bajwa said that the PBS would soon launch an awareness campaign across the country to sensitize the people of Pakistan about the importance of census and would also aware them about the whole process.

He said that an amount of about Rs320 million have been earmarked for launching the public awareness advertising campaign, adding that the PBS would also establish a media cell to facilitate access of media persons to census operations and data.

To a question, he said that the Form 2A for collection of data about migration, unemployment, fertility and disability would be filled after the main census operation is over in June, adding this would be conducted on sample basis.

When asked whether the PBS has any plan B if any security situation arises, he said that the board has already made proper arrangements to conduct the exercise peacefully, however if any area is disturbed during the phase-I of the census, it would be covered during next phase.

On the occasion, PBS spokesperson, Habibullah Khattak while briefing the media persons, chief census commissioner, said that all the master trainers have been trained, while the training of army personnel was in progress, adding the training of enumerators has been started on February 6 and is still continuing.

He informed the media person that the census was being conducted as per international practices and experiences and the forms have also been generated following international standards.

He said that March 18 has been fixed as reference day and whosoever is present at particular location on that day, would be counted for census.

He said that the census forms have been prepared after comprehensive considerations and with the help of technical experts, keeping in view the international practices.

During the workshop, top officials of the PBS also briefed the media thoroughly about the process of census and informed them about the details of census forms.