First phase of sixth population census concludes in 63 districts

ISLAMABAD: The first phase of the sixth population census has concluded in 63 districts across the country.

The first phase, which commenced on March 15, was conducted in eight districts of Sindh, 16 districts of Punjab, 14 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 15 districts of Balochistan, five districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and five districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, official sources said.

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Cities covered in the first phase of the Census in Punjab included Jhang, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Lahore, Hafizabad, Narrowal, Sialkot, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Pakpattan, and Attock.

In Sindh, data collection activities were carried out in districts Karachi West, Karachi South, Karachi East Korangi, Karachi Central, and Malir. Cities included in the process were Hyderabad and Ghotki.

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In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the cities included in the first phase were Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda, Nowshera, Laki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Hangu, Abbotabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Battagram, Turghar, and Orakzai Agency.

Balochistan’s cities Awaran, Quetta, Lesbela, Dera Bughti, Kohlu, Musakhel, Washuq, Kharan, Kalat, Jafarabad, Naseerabad, Pishin, Noshki, and Lehri were part of the first phase of the population census.

In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the first phase of the Census was conducted in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Sudhnoti, Kotli, and Bhimber. 

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Gilgit, Baltistan, Ghanche, Nagar, and Ghizer were parts of Gilgit-Baltistan where the data collection activities were carried out.

The second phase of the Census is scheduled to start on April 25. 88 districts across the country will be part of the data collection exercise.

As many as 84,000 enumerators are taking part in the exercise to collect data from 168,120 census blocks across the country. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has reserved about ten percent of its staff and supervisors for the exercise, which brings the total census staff to over 118,000 persons.

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One soldier each is attached to every numerator. A total of 200,000 army personnel are engaged in the exercise.

The PBS established a helpline to provide assistance and access to citizens for any inconsistencies in the data collection activities.