KARACHI: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday formally launched the national housing and population census.

The President himself marked the housing census number at the State Guest House, which had been allotted the digit One (1).

He also responded to the questions of census staff.

President Mamnoon today will also record a special message for the nation on importance of census.

Earlier, Secretary Statistics, Commissioner Karachi and Census Commissioner Karachi called on the President.

The President during the meeting, expressed satisfaction over the measures to carry out census across the country.

First phase of Census begins in southern Punjab

In south Punjab, during the first phase, the census is being carried out in Vehari, Pakpattan, DG Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur and Rajanpur. Commissioner Multan Division Bilal Ahmed Butt inaugurated the census drive in district Vehari.

While talking to APP, Deputy Commissioner Census Multan Region Maratab Ali stated that a total of 2,400 staffers have been deputed to carry out the task in district Vehari.

He informed that the Census drive would continue till April 15 in these seven districts. The staffers would list house number and name of chief of a family, his identity card number, during the first three days of the campaign.

Census Department Official Multan Region, Haq Nawaz informed that second phase of the drive would begin on April-15, in which Multan, Lodharan and Khanewal would be covered.”We have provided all necessary documents including maps and other things to staffers for execution of the census,” he maintained.

Census Department has introduced Blocks concept, each comprising 200 to 300 houses, in these districts. One official would list residents of one block. In villages, blocks are small because people are residing at distances. However, in urban population the blocks are bigger because of congested areas.

6th national population census begins in KP, Orakzai Agency FATA

The sixth national population and housing census began in Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Orakzai Agency of FATA on Today (Wednesday) after 19 years gap amid tight security arrangements by the law enforcement agencies.

Saeed ur Rehman, Assistant Census Commissioner told APP on Wednesday the 6th national population and housing census started Wednesday morning in 13 selected districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa and lone Orakzai Agency of Fata that would continue till April 13, 2017.

In Peshawar, the enumerators alongwith security staff started enlistment of houses by marking numbers on each house before starting of its formal counting. The people have been asked to keep their Computerized ID Cards of the head of family in houses in case he/she out of the area to ensure authenticity and identity of the family.

The official said the census was started 8 am and would continue till 4pm without break. One enumerator along with security personnel would enlist names of houses, shops, persons, ages, married, unmarried persons, education, gender etc in two different farms in their specified blocks in urban and rural areas and would submit it to the concerned authorities soon after completion.

The 13 KP districts where census began today are Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda, Nowshera, Lakki Marwat, DI Khan, Hangu, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Batagram, Torghar and Orakzai Agency..

Rehman said over 13,000 staff including teachers, enumerators and other officials of various national building departments had been trained from February 7-28, 2017 for performance of this national obligation.

All census related items including vehicles, utensils/registration farms had been dispatched to the divisional and district officers to make the campaign a success, he said. Funds to Deputy Commissioners of the selected districts have been provided for smooth holding of the census, he added.

The second phase will commence from April 25 and would continue till May 24, 2017. In the second phase, census would be held in 12 KP districts including Bannu, Kohat, Karak, Tank, Malakand, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Bunner/Daggar, Shangla and six tribal agencies namely Mohmand Agency, Khyber Agency, Kurram Agency, Bajaur Agency, South Wazir Agency and North Waziristan Agency.

In case of wrong information or non-cooperation by any individual, he said, the accused would face six months imprisonment and Rs50000 fine.

He appealed masses to cooperate with census staff and enlist themselves for their own interest as the government would provide services to them on the basis of 6th national census in future.