Census difficulties

A national census, regularly taken, is one of the fundamental building blocks in the formulation of social and fiscal policy. For Pakistan, with a growing population that is getting both older and younger at each end of the demographic, as well as becoming increasingly urbanised, a census is vital. Vital it may be but the taking of a census has become a deeply sensitive matter, and not all are happy to see it go ahead. Indeed, it has been repeatedly delayed largely for reasons of ‘sensitivity’ but now it is to take place, but perhaps not quite as planned. Given the sensitivity of physically taking the census, it is necessary to engage the army to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible — but the army can only allocate 100,000 troops for the exercise, 25 per cent of what was asked for.

The army is heavily committed to a broad range of security-related tasks and fighting a war in Fata. Border security both to the east and the west is an inescapable priority and both neglected to our considerable peril. Pulling 375,000 soldiers out to ensure a peaceful census is not possible, say the military planners, and it now appears that the census may, in part, be either delayed or prolonged. At issue is the matter of trust among the many stakeholders and the government bodies taking the census. There are widespread and not entirely unfounded fears that the results may be rigged or in some way manipulated for political gain. The census is going to determine the electoral constituency boundaries before the next election, and given the massive changes in the demographic of many cities since the last census, ‘sensitivity’ is an essential agenda item. The presence of the military beside the census takers will add credence to the exercise in the eyes of the many sceptics.

This has to be got right. The government has to find a formula by which the census goes ahead as planned and in a credible manner. It can no longer be pushed to the margins no matter what the difficulty. Failure in this matter is not an option.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2016.

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