KARACHI: The provinces are important stakeholders in the census process and are directly involved in data collection, execution and monitoring of the whole activity. Therefore, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has launched a series of sensitization workshops with chief secretaries, relevant secretaries and civil servants at the provincial level. This exercise will bring more clarity and provincial ownership to the census process.

To engage stakeholders, in the first stage, consultative meetings with the provinces were organized and in the second stage, sensitization workshops with academics, data users and researchers were organized. Currently, the third stage sensitization workshops in the series with the provinces, as part of the upcoming 7th Population and Housing Census 2022 (the first ever digital census in Pakistan) are underway. The second workshop in this regard was organized by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics at Regent Plaza, Karachi.

The workshop featured sensitization of Sindh Divisional and District Administration as it symbolizes the critical synergistic relationship that will exist between PBS and Provincial, Divisional and District Administration throughout the massive nationwide activity.

This workshop aimed to inform participants of the objectives achieved and future strategies, plans, methods and tools to carry out the census. On behalf of the Chief Secretary of Sindh, Shariq Ahmed, Secretary for Implementation and Coordination (SGA&CD), Sindh was the guest of honour.

Najam Ahmed Shah, local government secretary was also present on the occasion. Other representatives from the Board of Revenue, Secretary of People’s Welfare, Secretary of Department of Education and Literacy and all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of Sindh attended the workshop.

Dr. Naeemuz Zafar, Chief Statistician, Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, Member (Support Services/Resource Management), Munwar Ali Ghanghro Director (incharge) PBS Provincial Office, Karachi and senior officers from PBS Islamabad and Karachi jointly organized the ‘event.

Dr. Naeem-uz-Zafar, Chief Statistician, PBS, welcomed all distinguished guests and briefly explained the background and importance of the census process. He informed that the census is an important national activity which is linked to the allocation of resources to the provinces, to the representation in the national/provincial assemblies and to the delimitation process. Therefore, it is necessary to take the provinces on board and address their grievances before the census is conducted.

He further informed that the PBS is planning a census as per the decision of the Common Interest Council (CCI) and the recommendations of the Census Advisory Committee (CAC) composed of a renowned demographer and experts from all the provinces. The CAC advised the participation of the provinces at an earlier stage, which will be useful in resolving the problems encountered in the previous census well before its time.

Next, Shariq Ahmed, Secretary, I&C (SGA&CD), Sindh, in his inaugural address, highlighted the value of census and population data in evidence-based decision-making and appreciated the work of the Pakistan Bureau of statistics towards the launch of the first ever digital census in Pakistan. He also highlighted the cooperation of the commissioners and deputy commissioners for the proper conduct of the census operation in accordance with the instructions of the federal government and PBS.

After that, Syed Najam Ahmed Shah, Secretary of Sindh Local Government Department, presented his views on the importance of census and its role in effective planning and good governance. While he assured to extend the full cooperation of divisional and district administrations at every level so that the administration will stand with PBS from the very beginning in the entire census process until its completion.

Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, in his presentation, informed the participants about the recommendations of the Census Advisory Committee for the conduct of the 7th Population and Housing Census-2022.

Further, he added that in line with the ICC decision, PBS will conduct a census every five years, for the first time, using the latest tools and technology by adopting international best practices with the high aim of recovering improved data quality.

The geolocation of each structure, on tablet and self-enumeration system will strengthen the confidence of stakeholders. He also added that a National Census Coordinating Committee (N3C) has been set up at the national level within the House of PBS.

The development of the Provincial Census Coordination Committee (P3C) in the provinces is ongoing. He also shared that to oversee the census process, standards and protocols, a census oversight committee has also been formed. Census Support Centers in Census Districts have also been established in almost 90% of Sindh’s tehsils, for which he admired the efforts of Secretary I&C (SGA&CD), Divisional and District Administrations. He also shared that a social media team is hired by the PBS to statistically inform the public about the sensitivity of census activities through awareness campaigns.

The Chief Statistician, Dr. Naeemuz Zafar in his closing remarks thanked the Provincial, Divisional and District Administrations for saving valuable time and participating in this workshop in person from all corners of Sindh.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022