Monitoring body announces concluding Pakistan’s maiden digital census

ISLAMABAD: With the exception of three tehsils in district Kohistan as well as some snowbound areas that will be covered by mid-July, the Census Monitoring Committee (CMC) has announced the completion of the first-ever digital population and housing census in the country. 

Chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the CMC expressed satisfaction with the progress and significance of the digital census, which is also the first of its kind in South Asia.

To validate the provisional data collected by the CMC, the committee advised the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) to conduct a post-enumeration survey to assist in developing a comprehensive plan and strategy for the future.

The committee also urged the Finance Division to release the remaining census funds necessary to compensate the stakeholders, service providers, and field staff involved in the census operations. 

Syed Amin UI Haque, Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications, praised the efforts of the PBS and Planning Minister Iqbal for the successful completion of this significant census milestone. 

The PBS expressed gratitude towards Pakistani citizens for their active participation and for fulfilling their moral and legal obligations during the census. 

The digital census was aimed at enabling evidence-based policy development to safeguard citizens’ rights and improve service delivery nationwide.