Census treading close to being disputed

PBS has laid the onus of any shortcomings in the process on provincial administration

KARACHI:

After another deadline extension, the first digital census in the country’s history, is nearing a close but it remains to be seen whether its results will be accepted or not, given the number of red flags raised against it.

The census which is expected to continue until 15th of April, with results to be released by 30th of April, has met repeated criticisms from political parties - like the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) - especially with regards to Karachi; and now there are growing concerns that the present census might end up being disputed like the one in 2017.

Karachi’s headcount has been a touchy subject for political parties, most notably the MQM and the JI, given the political repercussions vis a vis constituency delimitations that come along with a lower than anticipated populace count. Hence, not only have the metropolis’s political stakeholders called for another deadline extension but have also pointed out the significant chunks of population, in slums and high rise buildings, left out of the headcount.

While it remains to be seen whether the complaints will be addressed, The Express Tribune, inquired from Sarwar Gondal, Member Support Services of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), which is responsible for the census, about the shortcomings being pointed out by multiple political parties. “It needs to be put on record that PBS’s work is limited to forming policy guidelines, releasing funds, training census staff, and providing them tablets for the count. The implementation aspect is the duty of the provincial governments,” he explained, adding that PBS itself did not have any manpower to conduct the census.

“Even the census staff, which goes door to door, belongs to the provincial government. Moreover, Assistant Commissioners (ACs) are tasked with monitoring the census and ensuring effective implementation.”

Thus, complaints from across the country regarding the process being slow or chunks of population missing from the headcount, need to be taken up with the respective ACs, according to Gondal. “If any AC is found to be negligent in the census process, then PBS will recommend the relevant authorities to take action against him,” he added.

Concurring with Gondal, Director of PBS and In-Charge of the census in Sindh, Munawar Ali Ghangro, informed that whatever objections were raised against the census were communicated to the Chief Secretary. “Nevertheless we have acted diligently upon the various complaints regarding people in slums and apartment buildings not being counted in the census.”

“As far as Karachi is concerned, we are trying our best to count everyone in the city, to address the reservations of all political parties,” assured Ghangro, while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2023.