Islamabad: The federal government has decided to conduct its first-ever digital Population Census in March, news sources reported on January 12.
Read: Punjab launches digital census ahead of elections
The census will enumerate the population by digitally surveying 185,000 blocks across the country through digital means and data recording devices. As per the sources, the Pakistan Bureau Of Statistics (PBS) will conduct the necessary post-enumeration calculation and analysis based on the 40 questions that will be asked of the citizens. The questions will belong to the eight different demographic categories including; households, basic amenities, demography, education, health, employment, disability and migration. For the first time, the census will be conducted using digital devices without requiring Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) or other citizenship proof.
Read: Punjab launches census ahead of elections
Talking at a seminar in Islamabad, Chief Statistician Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Dr Naeem Uz Zafar said that PBS has estimated that it will need a total of PKR 34 billion to hold a census exercise out of which PKR 10 billion have been provided to PBS while the rest will be soon released by the Finance Ministry.