Pak to conduct first census in 19 years

After a hiatus of 19 years, the Pakistani Government will be conducting the sixth housing and population census beginning March 15.

Pakistan military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor and Chief Census Commissioner Asif Bajwa said the first phase will take place from March 15 to April 15, followed by a 10-day break for the movement of logistical arrangements,.

Thereafter, the second phase will take off until May 25.

"This is a prodigious exercise. We are in a sound state of readiness and preparedness as comprehensive knowledge building and capability enhancement have been conducted through an exhaustive and transparent campaign," the Nation quoted Bajwa as saying.

Bajwa also informed that the transgender population would be counted and accounted in the census for the first time in the country's history and added that a separate form has been prepared to hold count of the disabled persons and record the nature of their disability.

Ghafoor said that 1,68,000 blocks, 20,631 circle levels and 3307 in-charge levels had been established. He also said that the entire process would be housed at Army Air Defence Command Rawalpindi.

"It will be a unique event that every soldier will go door to door for carrying out head and dwelling counts, which is required to be considered mark of thanks from Pakistan Army," he added.

Islamabad last conducted a census in 1998 and recorded a national population of approximately 180 million at that time.