Introduction

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) is an attached Department of M/o Planning, Development and Special Initiatives designated National Statistical Office (NSO) mandated to provide accurate, reliable, timely, comprehensive and users friendly data to both public and private sector organizations at national and international level. PBS Collect data from Field through Regional / field Offices under the supervision of Field Services Section. Field Services Section was established at Federal Bureau of Statistics Headquarter Karachi since inception of the Department.  This Section was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad in 1992 with the responsibility to monitor the Technical, Financial and Administrative matters relating to Regional / Field Offices spread all over the country. FS Section deals with the field operation and monitoring of regular Census & Surveys and Adhoc Surveys conducted by PBS and all technical matters of Regional / Field Offices.  The Section is supervised by Director, Member (SS) and Chief Statistician / Head of the Department.

Establishment of FS-I & FS-II

In 2023, PBS conducted first ever Digital Census (7^th Population and Housing Census) by following best international practices for Population Counts. It required implementation mechanism at Tehsil level under command and control of PBS Islamabad. As all building structures were Geo-tagged by field enumerators all over the country including Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan so the real time progress was monitored at PBS HQ, Islamabad through digital dashboards. This system helped in real time progress of Census activities for ensuring transparency and creditability of entire census process and results. Field Services Section endeavored at best to establish concrete coordination mechanism with the Local Governments for implementation of field plan for successful completion of First Ever Digital Census – 2023.

Keeping in view the workload of Census, Field Services Section has been bifurcated into two Sections working under the supervision of Director (FS-I) and Director (FS-II).

FS-I

FS – I was assigned the 15 Regional/Field Offices of Province Punjab having 93746 Blocks and 8 Regional /Field Offices of Province Sindh having 43838 Blocks to monitor the progress and Census field activities.

FS-II

FS-II was assigned the 5 Regional Offices of KP having 28868 Blocks, 4 Regional/Field Offices of Balochistan having 11857 Blocks ICT Islamabad, having 1737 Blocks, 1 Regional office in AJ&K having 4124 Blocks, and 1 Field Office of GB having 1339 Blocks.

Accordingly, FS-I and FS-II covered total 185, 509 Blocks for conduct of census.

Establishment of Census Support Centers:

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has 18 Regional and 16 Field Offices spread all over the country for timely completion of field operation at local level to make enumeration cost effective.  For conduct of First Ever Digital Census and close liaison with Local Government Assistant Commissioners/Deputy Commissioners were appointed as Census District Officer (CDOs). PBS established 495 Census Support Centers (CSCs) at Census District level and PBS staff was deployed at each CSC. All CSCs were equipped with furniture and IT Equipments for smooth functioning of Census activities. Keeping in view the importance and performance of CSC, PBS decided that CSCs at District level may be transformed into Camp Office, where PBS representation is not available or CSC at Tehsil level remained functional at need basis.

Activities of Field Services Section: –

1. 1. 1. 1. Regular Survey / Activities

         2. Adhoc Survey / services extended to other Department

Regular Activities

1. 1. 1. Population & Housing Census

      2. Agricultural Census

      3. Economic Census

      4. Labor Force Survey (LFS) District / Provincial level

      5. Budget Documents are being collected from the organizations for preparation of National Accounts for the country

      6. Mechanized and Non-Mechanized Road Transport Survey

      7. Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) Survey

      8. PSLM / HIES Survey

      9. Economic Census

      10. Price Collection.

Price Collection Activities

Adhoc Activities

PBS extends services to other departments in form of Provision of Maps and Physical Identification of Blocks / Mouzas and Enumeration for conduct of Surveys by using its Field Force.

2. PBS provides technical services through field force to other Departments in Physical Identification of Blocks / Mouzas.

3. PBS provides technical services of Enumeration through R/F Offices for Conduct of Surveys by using their field force.