The 2023 digital census is a step in the right direction.
The purpose of the census is to provide data for informed policy planning for people living in specific areas so that the necessary resources can be provided to provide necessities of life such as schools, hospitals, roads, etc. If these data are collected manually, there is a high probability that the data will have ambiguities.
Whether the census is done manually or digitally, we in Pakistan always distrust and question its result. Unfortunately, these dissecting voices make the whole exercise confusing. In 2017, the country's sixth census was held after more than two decades due to concerns that the census results may cause disharmony in the country. It is good to know that the government has decided to conduct the seventh census as per schedule. It is interesting to know that the digital census of Pakistan is the largest digital census in the entire South Asia.
Pakistan's first ever digital census is conducted using 126,000 Android smart devices equipped with House Listing and Enumeration Applications synchronized with Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) to facilitate collection, compilation, analysis, evaluation, publication and the dissemination of statistical data on population and housing together with their geographic location. This ensures maximum accuracy, transparency and credibility of the exercise. The latest digital technology used in this census includes geotagging to aid in counting and provide accurate data on schools, hospitals, mosques, universities and other economic facilities along with demographic variables for evidence-based decision-making. This digitization is unique in nature, and its success can be judged by the fact that the data of nearly 10 million citizens from all parts of the country is collected daily and synchronized on secure servers.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the organization responsible for conducting the census, has worked hard and improved within a short period of time to digitally transform itself and the census system.
The world we live in is changing rapidly. Many jobs and tasks that used to be done manually are now automated and performed by machines, be it construction, filing, information delivery, and more. To stay at par with the global players, Pakistan also needs to go on the path of digitization and avoid manual work. When we look around, we find that Dubai, a city of more than three million people, has completely gone digital. The Emirate's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamadan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum pointed out that the move saves $350 million and 14 million man-hours.
Dubai is the first capital city in the world to go 100% paperless, and many other countries in Europe and America are also following suit. In my opinion, digitization is an effective and reliable option, and it is the way to embrace the future.
Pakistan is also trying to move towards digitization in various aspects, but the pace is laboriously slow. One reason is that as a nation we are hesitant and at times suspicious of technology, preferring to remain stuck in decades-old practices. People from different walks of life are waywardly raising their concerns without identifying the real problem with the latest technology. In this scenario, I am pleased and excited to observe that PBS has taken a step to make the seventh census of Pakistan the first ever digitally conducted census of Pakistan.
PBS first opened a digital portal where citizens could fill in their details from the comfort of their homes. This data is then verified by PBS staff who go door to door to collect and validate the data. In my opinion, PBS was unable to provide proper knowledge of its own enumeration, and for this reason most failed to take advantage of this option. As the digital census moves forward and enters its final phase, we will gain more clarity about its success or failure. Regardless of the outcome, I would prefer that we continue on this path in the future and gradually move towards a paperless census.
I strongly believe that for the future of Pakistan and its people, the digital census will go a long way in collecting flawless data, which will then be used in literature and spirit to bring prosperity to the people of Pakistan.
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