Govt extends digital census process for fourth time

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has extended the date of the ongoing digital census process for the fourth time after failing to conclude the process within the given deadline, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) announced a fourth extension to the digital census process and fixed April 30 as the last date.

Prior to this development, the census process was due to be concluded in early April, however, it was first extended till April 10. Later, it was extended till April 15 for the second time and then April 20 for the third time.

READ: PAKISTAN’S TOTAL POPULATION REACHES 234 MILLION AS CENSUS DEADLINE EXTENDED

According to the bureau, the fourth extension was approved to complete the verification of population data and growth rate in some districts, whereas, the institution witnessed undercounting of population in major cities.

It added that the PBS recorded a low population count in seven districts of Karachi including Central, South, West, East, Malir, Keamari and Korangi.

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Moreover, discrepancies were also detected in the population count in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Hyderabad and Quetta. The census officials were also continuing the data verification process in different cities including Gujranwala, Sialkot, Jhelum, Gujrat, Attock and Peshawar.

The PBS spokesperson said that the last date was also extended due to the data verification process in Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad and Tank.

The field operation of the digital census will be resumed on Wednesday once again after the conclusion of a five-day Eidul Fitr holiday.