Islamabad, April 15, 2023 (PPI-OT): Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister PD and SI chaired the eleventh meeting of Census Monitoring Committee on 15th April, 2023. The meeting was attended by Minister IT and T Mr. Ameen ul Haq, Members of Committee and representatives from all relevant departments and stakeholders and senior officers from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The main purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of field Operation of first ever Digital census (especially after extension) and other allied matters. Chief Census Commissioner, Dr. Naeem uz Zafar presented the progress of the census operation. He apprised the forum that out of 156 districts, 100 percent work has been completed in 122 districts while over 90% work has been completed in remaining districts.

Verification work is also in progress. It was also informed that after conducting an in-depth analysis to identify the reason behind undercount, teams of officers from PBS Headquarter are facilitating DCs and ACs by visiting big cities like Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Faisalabad and Peshawar etc. to ensure complete coverage of all structures/houses and leftover structures. As a result of this exercise significant increase has been seen in population and no of households. Prof Ahsan Iqbal, Minister PD and SI appreciated the efforts that have been made on ground to detect the causes of undercount then working that has been done to improve the population specially after extension. He said that completion of 122 districts is a clear indication that the exercise is going to be completed with success. He monitored the progress of all provinces and asked them to indicate if further extension is required.

The operation must be concluded with mutual consensus and with the assurance that no controversy should left behind. Mr. Ameen ul Haq, Minister IT and T appreciated the work done by PBS team and all stakeholders for conduct of this National exercise and identifying the abnormalities timely for rectification of the same to avoid any controversy on results of the national gigantic exercise and ownership of process. He proposed to extend the census operations till 20th April, 2023 in big cities for complete coverage. Secretary PD and SI, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, directed all chief secretaries to monitor the progress efficiently and take prompt action for complete coverage. He also directed chief secretaries to provide the required number of days to cover the big cities.

He showed his pleasure over the significant increase that has been observed in population count after extension and verification of Field exercise. Keeping in view the recommendations of provinces, the Field operation of 7th Population and housing Census has been extended till 20th April, 2023 by Census Monitoring Committee to ensure complete coverage.

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