Census on schedule, despite challenges

The long-delayed census rolls on; and the second phase of this the sixth census since the creation of the state of Pakistan began on Tuesday. It will cover the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, 20 districts of Punjab, 21 in Sindh as well as Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir. Foreign observers have expressed their satisfaction at the way the census has been conducted thus far and all households are aware that a census is in process — itself a significant achievement in creating public awareness. There was criticism that there were insufficient billboards publicising the event but they were relatively minor. This has done much to lay to rest the reservations that had been expressed about just how well prepared the census was and the transparency that went with its conduct. The 2017 census is conforming to international standards and is going to be a vital planning tool in the years to come. With Ramazan likely to begin on May 26^th the second phase is due to end on May 24^th. There remain issues around the counting of registered and unregistered internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the question of just how many Afghans are living in Pakistan is going to remain unanswered, but the overall operation may be judged a success.

What has not been a success is the security, or lapses thereof, that have accompanied the census from the outset. Not everybody is happy to see the enumerators at their door, and eight were kidnapped in Kech district of Balochistan though seven have now returned home. Like many of those involved in the count the missing person is a schoolteacher. Tragically a suicide bomber killed four army personnel in Lahore during the first phase as well as three civilians. Eighteen were injured. In Gwadar on 24^th April a security guard was killed and another injured. They had been deputed to protect a census team.

Government statements — never wise in this respect — to the effect that as a result of previous incidents ‘foolproof security’ was now in place were rendered inaccurate in the early morning of 25^th April when a landmine exploded in the Godar area of Kurram Agency. It detonated next to a van that was carrying census workers and women and children. Ten died and eight were injured including the two census workers. At the time of writing no organisation has claimed responsibility. The army dispatched a helicopter to transport the dead and injured, the area is remote and communications difficult at the best of times.

With any number of terrorist and extremist groups still operating the length and breadth of the country, making statements about ‘foolproof security’ is unwise at best and bordering on the foolish at worst. There is no such thing as ‘foolproof security’ anywhere in the world — and if there was then terrorists would never get the chance to wreak havoc which is clearly not the case — anywhere. The sooner government and military officials with a responsibility for communicating with the population at large drop the term ‘foolproof’ from their scripts the better.

Ill-considered statements aside the 2017 census is a significant step along the democratic road. It will be followed as the results are analysed by some doubtless controversial boundary changes that are going to have political significance coming as they do in the run-up to the 2018 general election. Many of these changes are long overdue as Pakistan transitions from a primarily rural population to one that is more evenly split between rural and urban. Voters that were once locked into a feudal voting pattern may no longer be so constrained if they have become city dwellers. Urban voters have formed different affiliative and political groups and allegiances — the picture is very different from when the last census was held almost a generation ago. A census is not just about counting heads — it shapes the future as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2017.

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