Census 2017: FATA lawmakers dispute census count

Claim that IDPs have been largely excluded in the headcount

PESHAWAR: Lawmakers from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) disputed the population reflected in the census and claimed it’s a double of what is shown in the latest count.

The provisional summary of the 2017 census issued by Federal Ministry of Statistics, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, shows the Fata’s population as over 5 million with an annual growth rate of 2.41 per cent.



MNA from Bajaur Agency Shahabuddin Khan, while speaking to The Express Tribune, claimed that the census has shown his areas population to be at 1.1 million

Shahabuddin said the population has increased in all areas of Bajuar Agency except tehsil Mamond and Nawagai where a large number of people have been displaced due to the security operations. He said this decrease supports the argument that displaced persons have not been counted.

“I believe the persons who are displaced to other cities of the country during military operations haven’t been counted in the census,” said the lawmaker. He added that they will challenge the census in the court.



Furthermore, he said, it has been shown that Bajaur hosts only 21 per cent of Fata’s population with population of 1.1 million and in view of this how can we estimate the entire population of Fata to be more than 5 million.

Bismillah Jan, another MNA from Bajaur, believes that the population is double of what is reflected in the census. He added that along with other Fata lawmakers he will take up the issue with the federal government.

Jan said, “Showing less population would deprive Fata of its due share in the provision of fundamental rights.”



Meanwhile, Sajid Hussain Turi from Kuram Agency said that it was unfortunate that the internally displaced people were not included in the census despite the constant reminders sent to the census commission.

Turi claimed that more than three million population of Fata are living in other cities of the country due to military operations.



The lawmaker expressed concern that the decreased population would cause budgetary issues for the region as the government allocates budget according to the population.

“If the population isn’t truly reflected then the budget allocations would be less and this would affect the developmental work in the strategically important region of the country,” said Turi.