ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) extended date for ongoing seventh population census for fifth time. Deadline for enumeration which was originally scheduled to be completed by April 4 has been extended for 15 days to May 15. Exercise was initially extended till April 10 and then again till April 15, 20 and 30.

Talking to media after briefing, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said his Ministry wanted to ensure census was conducted in way that was “Acceptable to all”. He added that some political parties raised objections to census and added that progress in this regard was shared with them. “Enumeration process in urban areas has been slow,” he acknowledged. “Similarly, counting could not be done in remote areas. Some areas saw an unusual increase in population.”

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Karachi Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman who addressed media alongside Iqbal said he had apprised PBS of his concerns.

“Half of Karachi’s population has not been counted. We have asked PBS to identify where populations have been under or over-counted.”

Addressing Rehman’s concerns, Minister clarified that PBS was not prejudiced against any area, city or province. We should not link National Finance Commission to province’s population, he said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 29 2023

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