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Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has announced that Overseas Pakistanis, who have been living outside the country for more than (last) 6 months, will not be counted in the upcoming population census. The population and housing census is scheduled to take place from 15^th March next month.

After releasing the data on inflation at the Statistics House, Chief Statistician Asif Bajwa told reporters that:

“Only those expatriates who left the country less than six months ago will be counted”

7 Million Overseas Pakistanis Will Not Be Counted

As many as seven million Overseas Pakistanis who are working abroad for more than six months will not be totaled in the census. Most of them are blue collar workers from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, KP and Balochistan who are working in Middle East.

According to Asif Bajwa, students who are enrolled in foreign institutes and universities won’t be counted in the country census, either.

Also Read: Roster of Population Census in Pakistan

The first phase of the population census will take place from 15^th March to 15^th April. The second phase will start from 25^th April and will end on 25^th May. The reports of the census are projected to complete within 2 months.

Census Arrangements Face Criticism

There are number of political parties, particularly in Balochistan, who have displayed reservation about the execution of census. The political parties are of the view that the Government of Pakistan should deport all the Afghan refugees before launching the census.

Asif Bajwa ensured that NADRA blocked some 100,000 bogus ID cards belonging to Afghans. However, he added:

“The census would cover all those living in the country irrespective of their ethnicity or nationality. Foreign nationals would also be registered”

It is noteworthy to state that Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) will utilize NADRA’s database to identify fake ID cards. Moreover, the PBS will count only those Afghans who have valid ID card of Pakistan.

When Asif Bajwa was asked about migration within the country, he answered that PBS will include every resident Pakistani in the census. The location of the Pakistani resident doesn’t matter, he added.

Source: Dawn