The Population Census Organisation (PCO) is in the process of finalising the provincial house census data, after which the second phase of population census will be started after Ramazan from the middle of September. Statistics Division Secretary Asif Bajwa said after the finalisation of the first phase of house census, the second phase – population census – would within 15 days. The final report on the 6th population and housing census would be submitted to the government by December this year, he said. On the question of authenticity and credibility of the census, he said during the house listing exercise, authorised enumerators had visited door to door and marked houses individually.
The head of the house is registered in the light of his or her Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC). The census is being conducted with the assistance of United Nations Population Fund (UNFDA), Department of International Development (DFID) and other international agencies.
To a question, regarding the census in sensitive areas, he said civil armed forces would be available for assistance in such areas, as and when required. He said police would provide security in other areas. The Population Census Organisation (PCO) has established as many as 145,844 census blocks all over the country to conduct the Population and Housing Census 2011. Each census block roughly comprises of 200 houses and one block would be assigned to one enumerator for conducting census.