Digital Census to improve transparency: VC- AIOU

December 26, 2021 (MLN): Digital Census will increase the reliability and transparency of the data collection process, Prof Dr. Zia-ul-Qayyum, Vice-Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU)  stated in his inaugural speech at the first sensitization workshop on 7th Population and housing Census 2022, hosted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), said a press release issued on Saturday. 

He congratulated the government of Pakistan and PBS on taking the initiative of electronic data collection- the first-ever digital census of Pakistan and offered all kinds of support for this national cause.

The one-day workshop featured the sensitization of the academia, researchers, policymakers as well as the public since it symbolizes the beginning of a critical synergetic relationship that will exist between the PBS and the stakeholders throughout the gigantic national activity.

The focal person on digital census, Mr. Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, in his presentation emphasized that the involvement of stakeholders from start to end will be a priority of PBS for wide acceptability of census results. It will clear their concepts regarding the census process and will be a start of their involvement and ownership in the census process.

He further sensitized about recommendations of the Census Advisory Committee for the conduct of the 7th Population Housing Census. Moreover, he included that PBS is conducting Census after five years intervals, as per the decision of CCI, for the first time, with the use of the latest tools and technologies for improved quality of data.

Geotagging and tablet-based, Self-enumeration systems will build the trust of our stakeholders. All efforts are made to address the issues identified in Population & Housing Census 2017. Further, the questionnaire has been drafted by the technical committee to address the objectives of the census.  

Press Release