PBS extends closing date of digital census 2023

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Tuesday extended the closing date of 7th Population and Housing Digital Census 2023 for completing the remaining work to ensure 100 percent coverage by 10th April, 2023, ARY News reported.

According to a statement, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) received a proposal from Provincial Census Commissioners (PCCs), requesting more time to complete the ‘leftover census work’.

“Keeping in view the proposal of the PCCs, Chief Census Commissioner has extended the date to complete the remaining work to ensure 100% coverage by 10th April, 2023,” the statement noted.

The statement pointed out that the bureau ‘successfully collected data of 95 percent listed households within the stipulated timeframe through tablets across the country’.

“Only 5 percent census field work left either in big-blocks, where work started with some delay due to logistic arrangements or was withheld for a couple of days due to some technical glitches,” it added.

In case enumerators have not visited, the PBS said, all citizens of Pakistan are being requested to inform the bureau using the toll free number is 0800-57574 which will be functional 24/7.

“The citizen can also send their complete address through SMS on 9727 for lodging complaints of non-coverage. They can also visit or contact PBS Reginal Offices or the 495 Census Support Center established at the tehsil level for registering their complaints regarding non-coverage,” it added.

During the listing phase all the residential and economic units have also been geo tagged along-with categorisation/classification of economic activities as per international standards. As per data received, the total numbers of listed households to date are over 39.62 Million in the country.

PBS launched self-enumeration portal from 20th February, 2023 to 10th March 2023 whereby the citizens enumerated themselves by using the portal launched and this method was optional.