SWABI: A four-day training programme began here on Monday for the government officials selected to carry out the upcoming population census in four tehsils of Swabi district.

The census is slated to begin on March 15. According to the relevant officials, the district has been divided in four zones, including Swabi, Chota Lahor, Topi and Razaar tehsils for the population census.

The deputy commissioner is the district coordinator for the exercise with assistant commissioners overseeing enumerators in their respective tehsils.

Supervisors have also been nominated at district level to monitor the activities of the staff during the population census slated to begin on March 15. The Pakistan Army soldiers engaged for the exercise will reach the district soon.

A total of 787 officials will carry out the census with 74 of them doing the task as reserved force. Of the regular force, 624 are enumerators, 11 superintendents and 81 circle supervisors. Experts say the population census will cause better representation of local residents in the national and provincial assemblies.

Swabi currently has two National Assembly and six provincial assembly seats.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2017