Regarding Pakistan's first digital census, there are numerous concerns.

 On March 1, 2023, Pakistan's seventh population and household census is scheduled to begin. Every government department must count the number of people in order to make policies. The way resources are distributed to provinces, who is represented in the National and Provincial Assemblies, and how constituencies are defined are all based on census results. In 2017, the most recent census was taken. The government also plans to conduct a digital census for the first time, making use of technology to improve data collection and aggregation.

Our constitution and international standards mandate that a census be taken every ten years. The government will spend approximately Rs 34 billion on this project.

During meeting of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on February 8, 2023, in Karachi. Numerous questions and concerns were raised regarding the political and technical aspects of the design of this "first digital census." On the other hand, the Chief Statistician was unable to respond in a way that was satisfactory, leaving the audience with more questions than answers.

A specialized 40-point questionnaire that covers the specifics of eight crucial areas will be used to accomplish the purpose of the data collection. It is informed that the census will include 628 tehsils from all over the country. The Tehsils will see 185,000 blocks visited by 126,000 enumerators. The enumerators are expected to directly enter the data into a digital tablet that is connected to a Geographic Information System (GIS).

It is abundantly clear that the digital ecosystem that the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) developed has not been subjected to extensive pilot testing. Accuracy has been sacrificed in order to speed up implementation, and gaps and weaknesses have not been identified. This alone suggests political manipulation, as our constitution mandates a census within five years.

The digital information system seemed to be broken and misunderstood. Data transfer between devices and the data control center cannot be protected using a private intranet system, for instance. The Chief Statistician's explanation of how data security protocols would protect software dashboards used in the digital census left attendees unsatisfied.

The enumerators appear to have only been taught through lectures and presentations, without a device or tablet to practice on or use to understand the procedure. The trainees were not shown a sample form during their training. These two factors alone will make it difficult for the enumerators to collect data, resulting in severe data inconsistencies in the future. There is a good chance that the outcome will be challenged and manipulated.

The preparation of enumerators and the testing of the planned information assortment conventions require fundamentally additional time and assets from NADRA. It needs to make sure that each enumerator has been given enough training, knows what they're doing, and is ready to use their devices. These issues must be addressed in advance for NADRA to avoid wasting time and resources and collect reliable data. The level of readiness at this point suggests that a lot of trainees will have a hard time using their devices.

Counts of the population are typically taken de jure or de facto. There is a lot of de facto movement because of employment opportunities, natural disasters, and militancy on Pakistan's western borders. In contrast, NADRA has selected the legal foundation. This means that everyone will be counted based on where they have lived in the past six months, regardless of where they currently reside. If they are found in a region on the day of the census, this allows migrants and people who have been internally or externally displaced to be counted as residents.

Additionally, the requirement to present a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) has been eliminated for the purpose of verification. Because of this, immigrants from other countries, including Afghans, Bangladeshis, Kashmiris, Indians, and Burmese, will all be counted as residents of a particular province without having their citizenship or residency status checked.

The census has always been a contentious and delicate subject in Pakistan; Instead of planning, politics now make use of it. One of many serious threats to the rights of the local permanently displaced population is NADRA's plan to conduct the census in a way that makes it harder for them to be represented politically in provincial and national assemblies.

Sindh and Balochistan are most vulnerable as the number of "out-of-province" emigrants continues to increase. This phenomenon, which began 75 years ago and continues to this day, constantly alters the demographics of both provinces and violates the rights of indigenous people.

In addition, there has been a significant influx of Afghan refugees into Sindh and Balochistan over the past four decades. For instance, the area's Pashtun population is easily mixed with a large number of Afghan illegal immigrants, which raises their count in the census. Some of them even possess forged citizenship documents.

To address the concerns of the people of Sindh and Balochistan, legislation needs to be passed. Transparency and credibility must be given to the census's foundation and procedure for wider acceptance.

Pakistan has recently experienced unprecedented flooding, displacing 8 million people and affecting the lives of 33 million others. 6,579 kilometers of roads, 246 bridges, and nearly 1.7 million homes have been damaged. More than 12.4 million people have been affected in Sindh alone.

Disease outbreaks, rising food costs, and a decline in household assets and incomes are affecting these most vulnerable groups. The livelihoods of women, particularly those associated with livestock and agriculture, have been significantly disrupted. Numerous villages and croplands remain submerged. A significant portion of the population remains displaced and has not yet returned to their villages. Numerous areas remain inaccessible due to the absence of repairs to the fundamental infrastructure.

The census must be delayed due to all of these factors, and it should ideally not be conducted without adequate preparation. Keep in mind that the National Finance Commission Award's provincial distribution is precisely calibrated and agreed upon. It even determines provincial and federal job quotas for the government.

Recognizing the growing significance of the census to our political process is crucial. It is absolutely necessary for all stakeholders to accept the census results in order to maintain provincial harmony and ensure the safety of the federation. Otherwise, there is a good chance that the census result was tampered with or disputed once more, so it may be rejected once more.