Govt forms committee to study 'best' global census practices

ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday formed a five-member committee to study the best global and regional pratices for carrying out a population census.

Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan has been named head of the committee that also comprises economist Muhammad Ahmed Zubair, Member, Support Services PBS Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, ronowned demographer Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin and Dr GM Arif.

Also Read: Sindh takes exception to fed cabinet’s decision on census

Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar tweeted: “[I] Have directed Setting up a committee headed by dy chairman planning commission to review global/regional best practices for carrying out national population census.”

“We have to ensure the next census is not only accurate but also enjoys confidence of all regions & stakeholders.”

Have directed Setting up a committee headed by dy chairman planning commission to review global/regional best practices for carrying out national population census. We have to ensure the next census is not only accurate but also enjoys confidence of all regions & stakeholders

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) December 30, 2020

The committee comes amid a controversy over the results of the national census 2017 as Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah a day earlier wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan raising objection to the federal cabinet’s Dec 22 decision of approving the 6th National Census-2017.

Read: Half of Karachi population missing in census report, says Farooq Sattar

Prior to that, former MQM convener Dr Farooq Sattar in a statement lamented that half of the population of Karachi was missing in the census of year 2017. “We have rejected the population census of Karachi,” he said.