All out efforts for credibility of 6th census, says Dar

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said that all out efforts are being made for the transparency and credibility of the 6th population and housing census.

Addressing a news conference along with Chief Census Commissioner Asif Bajwa in Islamabad on Sunday, he said that the first phase of the census operation has been successfully completed in 63 districts. He said the second phase of the census will start from 25th of this month and will conclude after one month. 

Ishaq Dar congratulated the census staff and army personnel on the successful completion of the first phase.

He said that the information gathered through the census will be made public after compilation in about two months.

Asif Bajwa said that six teams of the international observers are monitoring the census operation. He said they have expressed satisfaction about the credibility and transparency of the drive. 

He said that 18.5 billion rupees have been allocated for the census operation including six billion for civilian staff and six billion for the armed forces while 6.5 billion have been allocated for transportation of the staff and the census material.

Asif Bajwa said that in the second phase census operation will be completed in 87 districts across the country. 

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar here on Sunday handed over a cheque of rupees one million as special assistance to Altaf, son of census worker Abdul Qadir who died in an accident in Neen Ban village, Mansehra district, last month.

The Minister it may be mentioned had announced compensation for the family of Abdul Qadir soon after the incident.

Abdul Qadir, a primary school teacher, who hailed from Khun Shakoora village, Mansehra district, was on census duty in Neen Ban when the

accident took place. He is survived by a widow, four sons, two daughters and aging parents.

The Minister expressed condolences over the death of Abdul Qadir and sympathized with members of the bereaved family who met him at the Finance Ministry along with Altaf to receive the compensation. Altaf, the deceased's son has already been given employment in the education department. - NNI