Finance Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar here on Monday chaired a high Plevel meeting at Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to review progress of Population and Housing Census with particular focus on its second phase.
Chief Statistician, PBS gave detailed update on the progress of ongoing census activities. He mentioned that 6thPopulation & Housing Census started in phases with effect from 15th March, 2017. The Phase-I of the Census started comprising188 Census Districts in 63 Administrative Districts. The field operation of Phase-I has been successfully completed in 80,471 Census Blocks. A total of 40,226 civilian enumerators were engaged in Phase-I. The filled-in Census documents have been received, he added.
The meeting was informed that the Census activities in the remaining 88 Administrative Districts in the second phase started on 25thApril, 2017 and would be completed on 24thMay, 2017. About 43,912 Civilian Enumerators have been engaged in second phase to carry out Census operation in 87,823 Census Blocks. The Chief Statistician also shared with the meeting, the comments of the six international observer teams who expressed appreciation for the overall census process, specially lauding the census teams working in different parts of the country. He added that generally the census process went on smoothly without any impediments. He informed that exemplary cooperation by the general public was observed and census teams were welcomed throughout the country.
Speaking on the occasion, the Finance Minister lauded the efforts made by PBS Staff for successful conduct of Phase-I of the census operation and hoped that 2nd phase will be completed smoothly. He appreciated for regular updates on the census activities and assured his full support for all the census work. He acknowledged the overall cooperation, commitment and hard work rendered by armed forces personnel, provincial authorities, Law enforcement agencies and the PBS, staff. He said it was highly encouraging to see all the officials and staff of PBS fully engaged in census duties and coordinating with field teams on 1st of May which was the day to honour workers throughout the world. The good spirit and dedication demonstrated in first phase should also be kept up in the second phase, said the Finance Minister. He added that it was PML-N which held the last census in 1998 and it has earned the honour of holding it once again. He said the exercise would greatly help the government in better economic planning for the country in future.
The Minister also on the occasion went round different sections of the PBS and met the personnel on duty.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister, Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed, Secretary Statistics Division and senior officials of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, attended the meeting.
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