First-ever digital Census in Pakistan

on 16/02/2023

The effort is entirely indigenous; all the systems devised and the tools created are by our own experts: PIDA

The digital census would be a great success, as the merits of digital census include: time reduction, GIS-based monitoring, real-time progress analysis, instant data availability, online task allocation, data quality assurance, transparency, a dashboard for stakeholders, complaint resolution through a hotline, real-time trend analysis, decision support dashboard and so on.


Pakistan’s Census in 2023 is going to be digital for the first time in the country’s history. All the preparations are rolled out and the team is now ready for a gigantic task. The effort is entirely indigenous; all the systems devised and the tools created are by our own experts, enunciated Naeem uz Zafar, Chief Statistician, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), proudly. He was addressing a hybrid seminar, themed “Census 2023: All You Want to Know About”, at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Islamabad.


He shared that census is an important national activity that is linked with resource allocation to provinces, representation in National/Provincial assemblies, and the delimitation process. Therefore, the credibility of the census is of utmost importance. This is what called for comprehensive introspection leading to a solution acceptable to all – digital census.


He apprised the audience that after the results of the latest Census 2017 were approved in the 45th CCI meeting held on 12th April 2021, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) gave directions for the next census to start as early as possible and should be according to international best practices by using the latest technology. The Government of Pakistan then constituted a committee of renowned demographers and experts with comprehensive TORS, to bring transparency, credibility, and wider acceptability of census processes and results. For this, a board-based stakeholders’ engagement was carried out in order to have ownership of the process.


Earlier in his opening remarks Dr. Nadeem ul Haque, Vice Chancellor PIDE said that the Censuses remain controversial in Pakistan, at times delayed for over a decade. Now that we are moving toward the new Census, it is time to raise all the concerns and questions we have.


To address the Seminar on the forthcoming Census 2023, Dr. Naeem uz Zafar said that following UN Guidelines and detailed deliberations of the Committee, it was decided that there ought to be clarity regarding the primary objectives of the census – policy and planning. Ensuring universality, implying that counting of the whole population residing in the country at the time of census should be done, irrespective of its status/whether one is the holder of CNIC or not. The exercise is of counting not of verification. Individual enumeration to be carried out – information on each enumerated person to be collected. It was also agreed upon that census must be conducted simultaneously and in the shortest possible time, he said.


The Chief Statistician also added that a National Census Coordination Committee (N3C) has been developed at the national level in the House of PBS. N3C can be imagined as National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) that was set up during the pandemic. N3C would have centralized decision-making, having a control room with dashboards showing real-time progress, trends, and analysis.
For the first time, the self-enumeration method will also be used. It’s a two-step process. First, you will have to sign in on a portal and fill out the form. Toward the end, it will provide you with a QR code. Save it for yourself. Later, when the enumerator knocks on your door, just show him the QR code. He would scan it and the data will be saved into the system. Moreover, geo-tagging of each structure, tablet-based and self-enumeration system will build the trust of stakeholders. 126,000 tablets will be used in the exercise. All checks and security measures are in place for breach or manipulation of the data. He also said that PBS has conducted training on the digital census in three tiers i.e. Training of Master Trainers, Training of Trainers (ToT), and Training of Enumerators. As of now, the pilot census has also been completed.


All of this would be backed up by strict monitoring oversight with cross-checks and in-built checks within the systems.


Regarding the questionnaire, the Chief Statistician said that there are around 40 questions on 08 broad themes. These include household, basic amenities, demography, education health, employment, disability, and migration.


The digital census would be a great success, as the merits of digital census include: time reduction, GIS-based monitoring, real-time progress analysis, instant data availability, online task allocation, data quality assurance, transparency, a dashboard for stakeholders, complaint resolution through a hotline, real-time trend analysis, decision support dashboard and so on.


In the end, Naeem uz Zafar thanked PIDE for the opportunity and requested any feedback to mitigate any loopholes if any.


It is pertinent to note that, the first-ever regular population census in the areas now comprising Pakistan, was held in 1881. Since then regular Census was conducted after every ten years up to 1981. Six censuses have been undertaken so far i.e. 1951, 1961, 1972, 1981, 1998, and latest in 2017. — PR

MEGAPLUS Annual Get-Together

on 16/02/2023

MEGAPLUS arranged annual Get-Together in December 2022 for Panel Builders in Lahore along with there
principal Schneider Electric Pakistan. Leading Panel Builders attended this event. Megaplus & Schneider
Electric representatives presented company vision and updates of new product line for year 2023.
Megaplus is Authorized Distributor of Schneider Electric Low Voltage Switchgear Components & has
offices in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar & Quetta. Megaplus also represent renown Leading
brands like Honeywell, Corning, Legrand, Virdi, Vivanco, Dehn, HP, Canon, H3C, Pemall, Hikvision & Esser
etc. in Pakistan.
Schneider Electric has brief for his new launch products line to audience, and displayed the samples
units for all participants in this event.

NCAI announces Artificial Intelligence challenge

on 16/02/2023

National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) has invited young and bright minds to present the most innovative projects to participate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) competition “AI TechVerse2023.”
Al Techverse 2023 is an augmentation of NCAI’s flagship events: the 3rd IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ICAI 2023), Al IDEAS Challenge, Al Expo (Lab2Market), and Al Voyage. According to an official of NCAI, this auspicious event titled “Al Techverse 2023” is going to be held from February 21-23 at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). The competition will provide an opportunity for young minds to connect, network, and bring their best ideas to the table.

Climate damage may cost Pakistan dearly

on 16/02/2023

Failure to invest the bare minimum needed to withstand projected climate damage could cost emerging markets hundreds of billions in climate damages and lost GDP growth this decade, according to a new study by Standard Chartered.
The Adaptation Economy, which investigates the need for climate adaptation investment in 10 markets – including China, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan – reveals that, without investing a minimum of USD30 billion in the adaptation by 2030, these markets could face projected damages and lost GDP growth of USD377 billion: over 12 times that amount. The projection assumes that the world succeeds in limiting temperature rises to 1.5°C, in line with the Paris Agreement. In a 3.5°C scenario, the estimated minimum investment required more than doubles to USD62 billion and potential losses escalate dramatically if the investment is not made.
Examples of climate adaptation projects include the creation of coastal barrier protection solutions for areas vulnerable to flooding, the development of drought-resistant crops, and early-warning systems against pending natural disasters. Among the 10 markets in the study, India is projected to benefit the most from adaptation investment. The market would require an estimated USD11 billion to prevent climate damages and lost growth of USD135.5 billion in a 1.5°C warming scenario – equal to a thirteen-to-one return for the Indian economy of investment in climate adaptation. Meanwhile, China could avoid an estimated cost of USD112 billion by investing just USD8 billion. And Kenya could avoid costs of an estimated USD2 billion by investing USD200 million in adaptation. Even if the world’s nations manage to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, measures to adapt to climate change must be pursued alongside the global decarbonization agenda, with the banking sector having a critical role to play in unlocking finance.
The USD30 billion investment required for adaptation represents only slightly more than 0.1 percent of the combined annual GDP of the 10 markets in the study and much less than the estimated USD95 trillion emerging markets require to transition to net zero using mitigation measures, as outlined in Standard Chartered’s Just in Time report. The Adaptation Economy also surveyed 150 bankers, investors, and asset managers and found that, currently, just 0.4% of the capital held by respondents is allocated to adaptation in emerging markets where investment is needed most.
However, 59% of respondents plan to increase their adaptation investments over the next 12 months. And on average, adaptation financing is expected to rise from 0.8% of global assets in 2022 to 1.4% by 2030. Marisa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer, Standard Chartered, said: “This report makes it clear that irrespective of efforts to keep global warming as close to 1.5C as possible we are going to have to incorporate climate-warming effects into our systems and adapt to its reality.”
“All nations will need to adapt to climate change by building more resilient agriculture, industry, and infrastructure, but the need is greatest in emerging and fast-developing economies with a disproportionate risk of exposure to the negative effects of rising temperatures and extreme weather.”
“We must urgently recognize that adaptation is a shared necessity, and as our Adaptation Economy research so effectively highlights, inaction creates a shared societal burden of exponentially increasing cost. The financial sector has a crucial role to play in directing capital towards adaptation and creating the proof points to demonstrate that investing in adaptation can be a commercially viable attractive proposition for the private sector.”

PCAA Awards Tallest Building Project to NESPAK

on 16/02/2023

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has engaged the services of NESPAK, the renowned Consultants of international fame through competitive bidding, for the tallest building in the Federal Capital, it was revealed by Dr. Tahir Masood, Managing Director NESPAK in a press communiqué here on Friday.
PCAA plans to construct a 35-storey high-rise office cum commercial tower at its plot along Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area Islamabad. The CAA Tower will add to NESPAK’s accomplishments, which already include the UBL Building, ISE Tower, and Ufone/PTET Tower on the same Avenue.
This iconic building is going to be the tallest in Islamabad. The tower will house various directorates and branches of CAA as well as airline corporate offices, airline booking center, business center, seminars and conference halls, media centers, financial institutes and banks, recreational facilities including an Aviation Science Museum, Art Gallery, Health Centre, Indoor sports facilities, baby daycare centers, food courts.
The structure will have a covered area of roughly 1 million square feet while containing the offices of different CAA cadres. The goal is to produce a green building that is sustainable, water-efficient, energy-efficient, and have an environmentally friendly design with a low carbon footprint.
Earlier, CAA and NESPAK entered into a Consultancy Agreement to provide services for the planning, design, and construction supervision of multi-storey buildings. Federal Minister of Aviation, Khawaja Saad Rafiq graced the Agreement signing ceremony and also attended by Director P&D CAA, Mr. Vikram Sodha, Managing Director NESPAK, Dr. Tahir Masood and Head of NESPAK Islamabad Office, Mr. Danish Raza n