Islamabad: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) extended the digital census till April 15 to finish and attain 100% coverage.
The chief census commissioner in metropolitan areas including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Quetta. Gilgit, and Karachi or as the Sindh government judged acceptable has extended the date to finish the country’s seventh population census, PBS said.
13 Balochistan cities had their census deadline extended.
The population count postponed twice. PBS delayed until April 10.
“In order to complete the leftover census work and ensure the completed coverage, details of the cities along with the additional time required to complete remaining work solicited from the provincial governments for extending the census operation on a customised basis only for those cities where census work yet to completed,” the statement read.
If enumerators haven’t visited, Pakistan’s first digital census’s federal organisation asks people to phone 0800-57574 24/7.
For non-coverage complaints, individuals can Text their full address to 9727. They can also visit PBS Reginal Offices or the 495 Census Support Center at the tehsil level.
“Simultaneously, the quality of data is being ensured through Post Enumeration Survey by using Computer Assisted Telephonic Interview (CATI) and the respected citizens are urged to extend cooperation with our team to verify their data through randomly generated calls through CATI,” PBS said.
Citizens are the census’s most important stakeholders and beneficiaries, thus they should cooperate with field staff visiting them and contact centre officials who may call them for data verification for quality control and to file complaints of non-coverage.
“Participation in the census is not only our moral, and legal obligation but also provides the opportunity for the government to develop evidence-based policy planning for ensuring our rights and better service delivery at our doorstep,” the statement said.
97% of census done
The administration thanked citizens and stakeholders for helping finish over 97% of census field activities.
PBS started census fieldwork digitally on March 1.
“The nation was proud of the largest South Asian digital census. The census is proceeding smoothly “said.
Tablets have collected data from about 97% of registered households nationwide, and only 3% of census fieldwork remains, notably in major cities of various provinces and few Balochistan cities.
Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa almost done with census fieldwork.
PBS enumerators have completed 100% of census work in 131 of 156 districts. While, 70% to 80% is done in the remaining 25 districts and work is ongoing.
“Work completion may increase after synchronising offline blocks. Pakistan will benefit following census completion at 97% nationally “PBS reported.
PBS has also requested an enumeration re-check in almost 30,000 Karachi constructions with more than four storeys. As well as given the list to the Sindh government, which is conducting the census.
40,000 buildings nationwide may have missed residences, according to PBS monitoring. Karachi has 30,000.
Dr. Naeemuz Zafar, the PBS chief statistician, showed the Karachi provincial census commissioner a few of these buildings and asked relevant assistant commissioners to count them.