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63 NATIONAL CENSUS REPORT
Field operation of the pilot census was carried out from July 20, 2022 to August 3, 2022 in 33
selected Administrative Districts across Pakistan, including Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit
Baltistan. For the pilot census field operation, a three-day training session for the Master
Trainers was held at the PBS headquarters from July 5 to July 7, 2022. The Master Trainers
then imparted training to the enumerators in the field at the selected 27 stations from July 13
to July 17, 2022. The district administration of each province/district provided the enumeration
and supervisory staff. The enumerators were selected from various provincial departments, and
the enumeration was conducted under the supervision of the tehsil and district administration
in their respective jurisdictions. As the pilot census was digital, tablet devices were used, and
two software modules were developed and utilized for this purpose.
Several key issues were identified during the pilot census . Firstly, the tablets used
during the process experienced fast battery drainage, resulting in frequent interruptions. The
SIM cards provided did not always match the local network, causing connectivity problems.
Another challenge was the technical deficiency of the staff deputed at the Census Support
Centers in each census district. This hindered smooth execution of the data collection process.
Moreover, the enumeration blocks in Balochistan and Khy ber Pakhtunkhwa were situated far
away from the Census Support Centers, leading to delays and logistic difficulties. Furthermore,
there were delays in resolving technical problems that arose during the enumeration. Adverse
weather conditions also posed a challenge in conducting the field operation effectively. Lastly,
there were compatibility issues between the SUPARCO satellite imagery and PBS maps, which
impacted accuracy of the data collection process.
The issues identified during the pilot census were assessed thoroughly and appropriate
corrective measures were taken prior to commencement of the main census activities and field
operation for the census data collection.
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Figure 2.6: Admn. Districts Selected for the Pilot Census
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Figure 2.7: District-wise Detail of Blocks Selected for the Pilot Census 2.2.10 Training of Census Staff As 7 th Population and Housing Census -2023 marked Pakistan’s transition towards Digital Census, a well -structured training program for enumerators was vital to the success of the census. This census not only employed digital data collection methods but also gathered information on economic establishments to support the development of the Economic Census frame. Recognizing the need for well-trained field staff, PBS prioritized an extensive training program covering both subject matter and IT-related aspects of the Digital Census to ensure its effective execution. A three -tiered training plan was devised: The first tier involved training Master Trainers in Islamabad; the second tier consisted of training Trainers at the Divisional level; and finally, the third tier involved training supervisors and enumerators at the Tehsil level.
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The training of 328 Master Trainers took place in Islamabad from December 5 to December 15, 2022. Highly experienced Super Trainers meticulously evaluated each trainee based on pre- and post-test scores, punctuality, and overall engagement. To maintain high standards, only 76 individuals were selected as Master Trainers through a rigorous assessment process. In response to participants’ feedback, a concise training manual was also introduced to streamline the training process for trainers and enumerators in the subsequent phases. The Training of Trainers (TOT) was conducted across 76 divisions nationwide from December 19 to December 23, 2022, successfu lly preparing 2,875 trainers. Despite various challenges, this phase effectively equipped trainers with essential skills and knowledge. Master Trainers continued to assess participants based on their test scores, punctuality, and engagement to ensure the h ighest level of preparedness. These trainers were then responsible for training the enumerators in the next phase. The Training of Enumerators (TOE) was held at 992 venues across Pakistan. Its primary objective was to familiarize enumerators with advanced data collection methods and technology, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and transparency in the census process. A total of 120,929 enumerators were successfully trained for the census field operations, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of Pakistan’s firstever Digital Census. To provide a glimpse of the master training sessions, a selection of photos is shown in Figure 2.9.
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Figure 2.8: Training of Master Trainers for the Census Field Activities
2.3 Enumeration Method and Field Operation
The 6th Population and Housing Census -2017 of Pakistan, similar to earlier censuses , was
conducted using a mixed approach, defecto cum dejure. The census mainly followed the dejure
concept, which considers the usual place of residence for counting the population. However,
only the "homeless" population was counted using a defacto basis. This mixed approach is also
commonly used in other countries of the sub-continent.
The Census Advisory Committee a fter detailed deliberations on the advantages and
disadvantages of both defacto and de -jure methodologies, taking into account the practical
realities on the ground, evaluating effectiveness of the de-jure method, as well as considering
the significant financial and human resource requirements of the defacto method,
recommended the de -jure method of enumeration for the 7 th Population and Housing
Census-2023. The de-jure method of enumeration involves counting individuals based on their
usual residence, which was defined as the place where they have continuously lived for at least
six months (excluding temporary absences for holidays or work). Additionally, the intention to
live in a particular place for at least six months was also considered when determining usual
place of residence. Individuals who were temporarily residing in a place were not counted, as
they were enumerated at their usual places of residence. Likewise, individuals who were
temporarily out of the country or city to attend religious events, weddings, or trainings for less
than six months were counted at their usual places of residence.
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The data collection process of the Digital Census-2023 began with the deployment of a web
portal for self-enumeration on 20th February, 2023. This marked a significant milestone, as
only a few countries worldwide have attempted and achieved such an endeavor for their
population. Around 2,600,000 individuals submitted their data thro ugh the self -enumeration
portal till its closing date on 10th March, 2023. The process of listing houses and structures took
place between 1st – 10th March, 2023, while the census field enumeration began on 12th March,
2023, with an initial completion date of 4th April, 2023. However, based on the requests from
provincial governments for complete enumeration, the field operation was extended four times
by the Census Monitoring Committee until 30th April, 2023. In certain districts, the census field
operation was further extended until 21st May, 2023, mainly due to under-enumeration.
2.4 Post Enumeration Survey
One of the main recommendations made by the Census Advisory Committee was to conduct
Post Enumeration Survey (PES) of the 7 th Population and Housing Census -2023. The
recommendation was approved by the CCI during its 49th meeting held on 13th January, 2022.
Moreover, during the census field operation, PBS constituted two Committees: Technical/
Expert Committee on Census-2023 for periodic review with provincial and district stakeholders
to ensure credible census field operation and committee on Trend Analysis of Census Data for
7th Population and Housing Census (Digital Census) to analyze trends and determine suitability
of the census data prior to placing it before the competent forum for approval. The Committee
held several meetings and after detailed review of the census data recommended to conduct
Post Enumeration Survey to address the issues of over- or under-enumeration identified
through demographic techniques in certain areas of the county.
Therefore, during the 15th meeting of the Census Monitoring Committee chaired by the
Minister for PD&SI on 7th June, 2023, it was decided that Post Enumeration Survey may be
conducted in order to assess accuracy and the coverage extent of the Digital Census-2023. The
methodology for conducting the PES and incorporating its findings into the final Digital
Census-2023 results was approved in the subsequent 16th meeting of the Census Monitoring
Committee held on 27 th June, 2023. Accordingly, t he Post Enumeration Survey (PES) of
Digital Census-2023 was conducted from 8th to 19th July, 2023, in accordance with the decision
made in the 49th meeting of CCI and 15th-16th meetings of Census Monitoring Committee.
For the PES, a sample of 2500 Enumeration Blocks was selected from 48 administrative
districts (overall level) with relative margin of error (RMOE) of 1.1%. The sample was selected
using stratified random sampling where strata within provinces were made on the basis of
similar characteristics like growth rates, population etc. Each stratum represented distinct
districts. The 48 selected districts represented their respective stratum from which the sample
was selected. The sample size was further proportionally allocated to urban a nd rural part of
each district. Provincial and rural/urban breakdown of the PES sample is given in Table 2.8.
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Table 2.8: PES Sample Allocation with Rural/Urban Breakdown
Province
Rural
Urban
Total
Punjab
471
586
1057
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
287
93
380
Sindh
313
538
851
Balochistan
124
43
167
Islamabad
23
22
45
Total
1218
1282
2500
The PES enumerators and supervisors who were selected from the Digital Census-2023 staff,
were assigned new blocks during the PES field activities in order to ensure independence of
the survey. To further ensure that the PES field staff was well-prepared, they underwent a
refresher course and were equipped with the training materials, including a comprehensive
manual. The manual was designed with the PES objectives in mind and provided clear
guidelines on understanding the objectives, methodology, and techniques of the survey.
Figure 2.9: Training of Enumerators for the PES Field Activities
The PES field operation lasted for a total of 12 days. On the 8th of July 2023, the PES field
operation was commenced with clear instructions to the enumerators to conduct listing and
enumeration as separate activities. The initial three days of the PES field operation were
dedicated to listing, while the remaining nine days were allocated for enumeration. To ensure
comprehensive and accurate coverage, SUPARCO maps of the blocks were provided to the
enumerators in both electronic form on their Tablets and in hard copy. Enumerators were
instructed to assign a unique PES number to each structure within the selected block, regardless
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of the numbering used in the census. For example, structures were labeled as PES 001, PES
002, and so forth. Each enumerator was required to enumerate only one PES block.
During the PES field activities, it was crucial to ensure safety and trust of the
enumerators, as they faced resistance from respondents who were skeptical due to isolated
incidents reported in the media. To address this, man -to-man security was provided to the
enumerators, not only for their protection but also to encourage better response rates. The main
census field operation had previously suffered from non -response and less coverage, largely
attributed to the lack of security measures. Recognizing this, it was imperative to prioritize the
provision of man-to-man security for the field staff during the PES, in order to achieve more
accurate and reliable results.
2.5 Finalization and Approval of Census Results
Census is the 9th subject of the Federal Legislative List Part-II and according to the Article 154
of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Council of Common Interests (CCI)
is entrusted with the responsibility of formulating and regulating policies pertaining to matters
in Part -II of the Federal Legislative List. Additionally, the CCI is also responsible for
exercising supervision and control over the relevant institutions.
Accordingly, the final summary results of the 7th Population and Housing Census-2023
were compiled by factoring in the findings of the Post Enumeration Survey and submitted for
the approval of CCI on 2nd August, 2023. In its 50th meeting held on 5th August, 2023, the CCI
considered the final summary results and unanimously approved the results of 7th Population
and Housing Census-2023, as follows:
“The CCI considered the Summary titled “Results of 7th Population and Housing
Census-2023 (The Digital Census)” dated 2 nd August, 2023, submitted by Ministry of
Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and unanimously approved the results
of 7th Population and Housing Census -2023 (The Digital Census), as mentioned in
Annex-V of the Summary and reproduced at para-7 above, for publication and for use
/ information of general public.”
Figure 2.10: Glimpses from 50th Meeting of CCI held on 5th August, 2023