Govt all set for census, with special focus on IDPs

Chief Census Commissioner Asif Bajwa announced on Thursday that all necessary arrangements have been completed for the census scheduled to start from March 15, with a special focus on internally displaced peoples, DawnNews reported.

Addressing a press conference at Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Bajwa said the census will be carried out nationwide taking all the sensitive areas into full account.

“We are making necessary arrangements to obtain the required data relating to internally displaced peoples (IDPs) from both the Fata Secretariat and Nadra,” he said.

“The government is formulating a policy for IDPs in relation to the upcoming census” the census commissioner maintained.

He mentioned the fact that three out of the seven agencies in Fata were still subject to armed operation.

“The census in areas that have major security concerns will be carried out by military personnel,” said Bajwa, adding that necessary information regarding the census procedures has been provided to army head trainers.

Moreover, Bajwa highlighted that missing persons will also be added to the census with the figurehead of their respective households being responsible for providing the necessary data.

The treasury has already allotted Rs7.4 billion expense for conducting the census, he said.

Delayed by nine years, the national population census is to begin with a house listing operation.

200,000 army personnel and 91,000 civilian enumerators will take part in the exercise, which will cost the exchequer over Rs14 billion.

For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the country’s transgender community will also be included in the national population census, according to a ruling from the Lahore High Court on Jan 9.

Source: Dawn