CENSUS is regarded vital for allocation of resources, legislative representation, framing of new constituencies, recruitment and several other planning and operational tasks. As the upcoming census is scheduled to be held soon, the residents and members of civil society in Upper Waziristan have expressed their concerns on social media and in social gatherings.

It is a fact that Upper Waziristan has been a war-torn area and 70 per cent of its population is not settled completely owing to the non-availability of basic facilities, like electricity, education, health and cellular networks.

On the other hand, the harsh and cold days in February will further hamper the process of census in Upper Waziristan. In this context, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) should devise a different strategy to accommodate the demands of the local people. The approach of de jure census must apply to the original residents of Upper Waziristan, who are currently living in other parts of the country. This is surely their right.

Shahid Hussain Mehsud
Dera Ismail Khan

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2023