Population Census Organization an
attached department of the Statistics Division conducts the Population and
Housing Census in the country after 10 years and provide reliable, fair, and
timely data for development programmes and its use by the general public,
planners, researchers, data relates users as all well as stakeholders. This
data is also used for delineation of National and Provincial Assemblies,
distribution of national resources among provinces through National Finance
Commission (NFC) Awards as well as fixing of quota of posts in Federal
Government Departments. Conducting the Population and Housing Census in the
country is constitutional requirement of the Pakistan and it is a very
important activity. Population and Housing Census is a stock taking of human
resources of a country and their living condition at one point of time. Census
provides basic data on demographic, social and economic variables about each
person and each housing unit. The census data serves as bench mark for all
socio-economic development plans, administrative activities, demographic
research and projection of population to meet future needs. Census is a
Gigantic and Complex Operation carried out in the whole territory of Pakistan
comprising of five provinces i.e Punjab, Sindh, Khyber PakhtunKhwa, Blaochistan
and Gilgit Baltistan as well as special areas like Federally / Provincially
Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA/PATA), Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Islamabad
Capital Territory (ICT). The Population census Organization has conducted five
censuses in the country since its creation i.e in 1951, 1961, 1972, 1981 and
the last census in 1998. The 6th Population and Housing Census was scheduled in
2008 which was delayed due to insurgency, law and order situation in FATA and
some parts of two provinces. Matter regarding conduct of census in the year
2009 and 2010 but it could not be conducted due to non-availability of armed
forces and devastating floods in the country.
2. The matter was again referred
to the Council of Common Interests which in its meeting held on 8th November,
2010 under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Pakistan has approved
holding of 6th Population and Housing Census in the country in two phase’s i.e
House Listing Operation in March/April 2011 and Population and Housing Census
in August/September, 2011. In this connection the Population Census
Organization has undertaken the preparatory work as per activity calendar
showing all aspects of census taking along with time frame fixed for each
activity.
3. The Population Census
Organization has developed Form-1 for house listing operation, Form-2 (short
form) for main census and Form-2A (long form) will be used to obtain additional
information on the field of education, migration, labour force, fertility,
disability etc from sample households.
4. Draft tabulation plan showing
the set of tables to be presented in the National, Provincial and District
census report has been prepared.
5. The field staff for conducting
the Housing Listing Operation comprising enumerators, supervisors, charge
supervisors, charge superintends has been appointed through out the country.
These staff has been drawn from the nation building Departments i.e Education,
Local Government, Revenue Department etc. The training to these staff will be imparted
by the experienced trainers to update them to achieve accurate and reliable
results. After conducting house listing operation, the staff from the same
departments will also be drawn for main census also they will be imparted
training for conducting the Population and Housing Census.
6. In order to ensure complete
coverage and for effective supervision, the entire country has been delimited
into a four tire system i.e census district, census charges, census circle and
census block. The maps of these areas have been prepared to be handed over to
enumerators during the census operation. The moping work i.e updating of map of
urban areas and rural areas, delimitation of census areas and their Geo-Coding
etc have been completed through field visit. In this connection the Population
Census Organization has established the GIS Lab at PCO Islamabad, Lahore,
Karachi, RCO/Multan and Muzaffarabad for digitizing of maps and their
verification through satellite images (Google Earth).
7. An effective publicity plan has
been prepared which will be launched through electronic and print media to
create awareness among the masses about the importance of the census, to
educate the people for their greater participation and to motivate the field
staff to work with the dedication zeal and vigor.
8. Population Census Organization
has decided to use modern technology to conduct the next census in a fair and
transparent manner. Intelligence Character Recognition (ICR) technology for
data entry/processing and GIS for dissemination of data will be used to achieve
better results.
9. After Data Processing work,
the census data will be tabulated and disseminated in the forms of reports at
national, provincial and district level. The data users, planners, researchers
and stakeholders etc. Population Census Organization has developed its own
website which gives basic information about Population Census Organization and
data of 1998 census. The website is updated regularly. (www.census.gov.pk)
To Commemorate 6th Population and Housing Census-2011, Pakistan Post is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.10/= denomination on February 10, 2011.