Places of worship in Pakistan have mushroomed exponentially in the last few years. In first ever economic census release by &nbsp;Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, there are a whopping 600,000 mosques in the country, which surprisingly is way higher than 23,000 factories plying in Pakistan. While religious seminaries are 36,000, again higher than the number of industries in the country.&nbsp;Though, there are 643,000 small production units across Pakistan, according to the report.Obtained as part of the population census, the report was officially released on Thursday (Aug 21), reported the Express Tribune.&nbsp;The census comes at a time Pakistan is looking to seal a deal with the International Monetary Fund for the second review of the USD 7 billion bailout package in order to revive its economy.According to the report, most of the 600,000 mosques and over 36,000 religious seminaries are located in the Punjab province.&nbsp;The data revealed that there are 40 million permanent units, out of which 7.2 million are employment structures where 25.4 million people worked as of 2023.&nbsp;The maximum numbers of people are engaged in the services sector that accounts for 45 per cent or 11.3 million of the 25.4 million workforce.&nbsp;Second in number is the social sector where 7.6 million people are employed, which is 30 per cent of the total workforce. While the production sector employed &nbsp;22 per cent.&nbsp;"Credible data is the backbone of sustainable development, as it enables evidence-based planning and effective decision-making," said Iqbal while launching the report.&nbsp;After the population census and the agriculture census, the economic census -first ever- &nbsp;was the third such detailed report by the planning ministry in Pakistan since 1947.&nbsp;An attempt in this regard was &nbsp;made in 2003 but it failed as activity-related questions were added into the population census framework, reported the Express Tribune.&nbsp;On the contrary Pakistan's neighbour India has conducted seven economic censuses, while Bangladesh, which was earlier a part of Pakistan and split in 1971, has so far conducted three such censuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The census comes at a time Pakistan is looking to seal a deal with the International Monetary Fund for the second review of the USD 7 billion bailout package in order to revive its economy.

Places of worship in Pakistan have mushroomed exponentially in the last few years. In first ever economic census release by Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, there are a whopping 600,000 mosques in the country, which surprisingly is way higher than 23,000 factories plying in Pakistan. While religious seminaries are 36,000, again higher than the number of industries in the country. Though, there are 643,000 small production units across Pakistan, according to the report. Obtained as part of the population census, the report was officially released on Thursday (Aug 21), reported the Express Tribune. The census comes at a time Pakistan is looking to seal a deal with the International Monetary Fund for the second review of the USD 7 billion bailout package in order to revive its economy. According to the report, most of the 600,000 mosques and over 36,000 religious seminaries are located in the Punjab province. The data revealed that there are 40 million permanent units, out of which 7.2 million are employment structures where 25.4 million people worked as of 2023. The maximum numbers of people are engaged in the services sector that accounts for 45 per cent or 11.3 million of the 25.4 million workforce. Second in number is the social sector where 7.6 million people are employed, which is 30 per cent of the total workforce. While the production sector employed 22 per cent. "Credible data is the backbone of sustainable development, as it enables evidence-based planning and effective decision-making," said Iqbal while launching the report. After the population census and the agriculture census, the economic census -first ever- was the third such detailed report by the planning ministry in Pakistan since 1947. An attempt in this regard was made in 2003 but it failed as activity-related questions were added into the population census framework, reported the Express Tribune. On the contrary Pakistan's neighbour India has conducted seven economic censuses, while Bangladesh, which was earlier a part of Pakistan and split in 1971, has so far conducted three such censuses.

The census comes at a time Pakistan is looking to seal a deal with the International Monetary Fund for the second review of the USD 7 billion bailout package in order to revive its economy.

Pakistan has more mosques, madrassas than factories? Economic census reveals surprising details

In March, Pakistan launched its first-ever digital population and housing census and to make every person count, the officials reached 210 kilometres east of Balochistan's capital. Watch how camelback counters trek wilderness for Pakistan Census

Pakistan’s first ever digital census

Three men who have fathered nearly 100 children among them are doing their bit for Pakistan&#39;s skyrocketing population, which is being counted for the first time in 19 years.&nbsp;

But in a country where experts warn the surging populace is gouging into hard-won economic gains and social services, the three patriarchs are unconcerned. Allah, they say, will provide.

Pakistan has the highest birth rate in South Asia at around three children per woman, according to the World Bank and government figures, and the census is expected to show that growth remains high.

&quot;God has created the entire universe and all human beings, so why should I stop the natural process of a baby&#39;s birth?&quot; asks Gulzar Khan, a father of 36, citing one of the strongest influences in the region: the belief that Islam prevents family planning. &nbsp;

Tribal enmity is another factor in the north-west, where the 57-year-old lives in the city of Bannu with his third wife, who is pregnant.

&quot;We wanted to be stronger,&quot; the 57-year-old tells AFP, surrounded by 23 of his offspring -- so many, he observes, they don&#39;t need friends to play a full cricket match.&nbsp;

Polygamy is legal but rare in Pakistan, and families like Khan&#39;s are not the norm, though the beliefs he holds are widespread.

The last census, held in 1998, showed Pakistan had a population of up to 135 million. Estimates suggest the new census -- carried out earlier this year, with the preliminary results due by the end of July -- will put the figure closer to 200 million.&nbsp;

The economy is expanding faster than it has in a decade, and last month Islamabad hiked its development budget by 40 percent.&nbsp;

But observers have warned the population boom is negating any progress, using up valuable resources in a young country where jobs are scarce and nearly 60 million people live below the poverty line.&nbsp;

&quot;It definitely is a problem because it is affecting health outcomes adversely and also eating into development gains,&quot; says Zeba A. Sathar, country director for the UN population council.&nbsp;

Sathar predicted the census would show growth has slowed due to lower fertility rates, though she added it would remain among the highest rates in the region.

&quot;There has to be a clear enunciation of need to slow growth as a positive policy lever,&quot; she said. &quot;And then next a good, effective health system that provides information and services of quality.&quot;&nbsp;

&#39;God will provide&#39;

Khan&#39;s brother, Mastan Khan Wazir -- one of his 15 siblings -- also has three wives. So far, Wazir has only fathered 22 children but, like his brother, he says his grandchildren are too numerous to count.&nbsp;

The 70-year-old, with his bushy moustaches and bejewelled fingers, is a minor celebrity in North Waziristan tribal district, where his blinged out jeep -- done in the style of Pakistan&#39;s famous &quot;jingle trucks&quot;, with Pashto music pouring from the stereo -- is a familiar sight.&nbsp;

&quot;God has promised that he will provide food and resources but people have weak faith,&quot; he tells AFP, wearing a traditional Waziristani turban.&nbsp;

In the southwestern city of Quetta in Balochistan province, Jan Mohammed -- the father of 38 children -- agrees, despite having previously called on the government to provide resources for his family.

Jan spoke with AFP in 2016 to voice his desire for a fourth wife as he continues his mission of having 100 children. No woman has yet agreed, he says, but he has not given up.&nbsp;

&quot;The more Muslims grow, the more their enemies will fear them... Muslims should go for more and more children,&quot; he said.

Empowering women&nbsp;

Denied their husbands&#39; permission to speak, none of the three men&#39;s wives could give their views on family planning in Islam.

But there is already &quot;abundant&quot; awareness in Pakistan about the need for birth spacing, or allowing a woman&#39;s body to rest for at least 18 months between pregnancies, Sathar said.

&quot;The need is for clear information about the methods available, how they work, their possible side effects and where to get them. That is missing,&quot; she added.

Giving women more of a choice in the matter could help, argues Aisha Sarwari, a feminist activist who has previously written on population and women&#39;s rights.

&quot;Access to birth control for women can be a game changer,&quot; she told AFP. &quot;Ultimately the impact is that there are more resources to go around ... Empowered women have fewer children, and this creates a mindset that leads to prosperity within families that is likely to be emulated across communities.&quot;

Khan, at least, admitted there could be some benefits to slowing down.

For one thing, tribal enmity in the north-west has decreased in recent years, he said. &quot;Now, with the grace of God, the situation has changed -- war and fighting is finished -- so, now, a decrease in the population would not be bad.&quot;

It would also free him up for other leisure activities, he says, adding wistfully: &quot;If one had fewer children, one would have more time to make love with his wives.&quot;

(AFP)

Experts warn the surging populace is gouging into hard-won economic gains and social services

Three men who have fathered nearly 100 children among them are doing their bit for Pakistan's skyrocketing population, which is being counted for the first time in 19 years. But in a country where experts warn the surging populace is gouging into hard-won economic gains and social services, the three patriarchs are unconcerned. Allah, they say, will provide. Pakistan has the highest birth rate in South Asia at around three children per woman, according to the World Bank and government figures, and the census is expected to show that growth remains high. "God has created the entire universe and all human beings, so why should I stop the natural process of a baby's birth?" asks Gulzar Khan, a father of 36, citing one of the strongest influences in the region: the belief that Islam prevents family planning. Tribal enmity is another factor in the north-west, where the 57-year-old lives in the city of Bannu with his third wife, who is pregnant. "We wanted to be stronger," the 57-year-old tells AFP, surrounded by 23 of his offspring -- so many, he observes, they don't need friends to play a full cricket match. Polygamy is legal but rare in Pakistan, and families like Khan's are not the norm, though the beliefs he holds are widespread. The last census, held in 1998, showed Pakistan had a population of up to 135 million. Estimates suggest the new census -- carried out earlier this year, with the preliminary results due by the end of July -- will put the figure closer to 200 million. The economy is expanding faster than it has in a decade, and last month Islamabad hiked its development budget by 40 percent. But observers have warned the population boom is negating any progress, using up valuable resources in a young country where jobs are scarce and nearly 60 million people live below the poverty line. "It definitely is a problem because it is affecting health outcomes adversely and also eating into development gains," says Zeba A. Sathar, country director for the UN population council. Sathar predicted the census would show growth has slowed due to lower fertility rates, though she added it would remain among the highest rates in the region. "There has to be a clear enunciation of need to slow growth as a positive policy lever," she said. "And then next a good, effective health system that provides information and services of quality." 'God will provide' Khan's brother, Mastan Khan Wazir -- one of his 15 siblings -- also has three wives. So far, Wazir has only fathered 22 children but, like his brother, he says his grandchildren are too numerous to count. The 70-year-old, with his bushy moustaches and bejewelled fingers, is a minor celebrity in North Waziristan tribal district, where his blinged out jeep -- done in the style of Pakistan's famous "jingle trucks", with Pashto music pouring from the stereo -- is a familiar sight. "God has promised that he will provide food and resources but people have weak faith," he tells AFP, wearing a traditional Waziristani turban. In the southwestern city of Quetta in Balochistan province, Jan Mohammed -- the father of 38 children -- agrees, despite having previously called on the government to provide resources for his family. Jan spoke with AFP in 2016 to voice his desire for a fourth wife as he continues his mission of having 100 children. No woman has yet agreed, he says, but he has not given up. "The more Muslims grow, the more their enemies will fear them... Muslims should go for more and more children," he said. Empowering women Denied their husbands' permission to speak, none of the three men's wives could give their views on family planning in Islam. But there is already "abundant" awareness in Pakistan about the need for birth spacing, or allowing a woman's body to rest for at least 18 months between pregnancies, Sathar said. "The need is for clear information about the methods available, how they work, their possible side effects and where to get them. That is missing," she added. Giving women more of a choice in the matter could help, argues Aisha Sarwari, a feminist activist who has previously written on population and women's rights. "Access to birth control for women can be a game changer," she told AFP. "Ultimately the impact is that there are more resources to go around ... Empowered women have fewer children, and this creates a mindset that leads to prosperity within families that is likely to be emulated across communities." Khan, at least, admitted there could be some benefits to slowing down. For one thing, tribal enmity in the north-west has decreased in recent years, he said. "Now, with the grace of God, the situation has changed -- war and fighting is finished -- so, now, a decrease in the population would not be bad." It would also free him up for other leisure activities, he says, adding wistfully: "If one had fewer children, one would have more time to make love with his wives." (AFP)

Three men, 96 children: Pakistan's population boom threatens economic gains

By Agnisheik Chatterji

Nineteen years. That&#39;s how long after Pakistan launched its national census this year.&nbsp;

The two-phase counting, which started on March 15, will culminate on May 25. The result is expected to be announced by end-July.

But what made Islamabad delay a fresh headcount by nine years?

The problems are manifold.&nbsp;Lack of political will, ethnic insecurity, security concerns, redistribution of wealth and political clout, are but some of the main reasons for the years-long delay.

Finally, the Pakistan government had to follow the orders of the country&#39;s supreme court. After all, the government is constitutionally bound to conduct a census every decade.

Largest-ever national headcount

Let&#39;s get down to the brass tacks of the nationwide enumeration first.

The government has spent 14.5 billion Pakistan rupees.

Around 200,000 army personnel were deployed and 118,000 civilian enumerators hired to compile the data.

Why even have a census?

It is vital for socio-economic planning.&nbsp;

And if the United Nations&#39; word is to believed, census is a &quot;powerful tool for planning&quot; not only for religious minorities &quot;but all the population of Pakistan&quot;.

For instance, if the government needs to put a schooling system in place, the census data can make their job a lot easier. Prior to building a school, the planning team will know the number of children that will benefit from this, and also the most conducive location.

Likewise with constructing roads, hospitals and other key institutions that can bolster social indices of a country.

The data will also help Islamabad in tracking internal migration.

For a fast-growing country like Pakistan, this is vital. The country is in the throes of rapid urbanisation. Three per cent every year -- the fastest in South Asia.&nbsp;

The data will help the country know the resources required to keep pace with the burgeoning population in urban centres.&nbsp;

Also, the matter of Afghan migrants. This census will count them as well. It will help the administration to keep a track on the influx of refugees in their country.

To surmise, the census is a key source tool for every country.&nbsp;

Experts say it is improbable for a country to implement social policies based on guesstimates. Especially for a developing country like Pakistan, which is hobbled by a lack of basic infrastructure.

The 1998 census pegged Pakistan&#39;s head count at 132.35 million. But experts suggest the number might now be around 200 million.

To nick a quote from the head of an Islamabad-based think tank, Abid Suleri, implementing policies in Pakistan is akin to &quot;stitching someone&rsquo;s clothes without knowing the age, height, weight and measurements&quot;.

Loss of status quo

So why has the establishment been so queasy about holding a census?

As mentioned earlier, there will be a redistribution of wealth and electoral seats.

There is a vested interest in maintaining a status quo. The powers-that-are are the keenest to keep things as they are.

Electoral seats in Pakistan are determined by population density. So, the flow of internal migration in recent years would upend the existing balance of power.&nbsp;

That has made powerful feudal landlords and political families squeamish.

At the moment, Punjab is the most politically critical province in Pakistan. Of the 342 seats in the national assembly, Punjab has 183.&nbsp; 
That means the province can single-handedly decide the outcome of a national election.

The powerful political parties enjoy widespread support in the province.&nbsp;

So, if there is a &#39;devolution&#39; of electoral seats in Punjab, parties would have to redraw their political blueprint.

Political power is likely to change hands in the country&#39;s southeast Sindh province.&nbsp;

Currently, upper Sindh is the political underdog but the recent counting is likely to change that. Lower and middle part of the province -- the hitherto political heavyweights -- would lose their current status.

Also, one of the observations gleaned from the 2013 national election is that sharp ethnic faultlines have riven the country&#39;s rural areas.&nbsp;

But rapid urbanisation, coupled with the eventual loss of electoral seats in rural areas in the aftermath of the national head count, would bring an end to such vicious votebank politics.

Regional concerns

Several concerns have been raised from various parts of the country.&nbsp;

None more so than in Pakistan&#39;s poorest province Balochistan.

Balochistan is a sparsely populated region. To give perspective, the province comprises 44 per cent area of the country, yet contributes just 4.96 per cent of the total population.&nbsp;

The federal government&#39;s decision to count Afghan refugees have been stoutly opposed by the Baloch populace.

They fear they would be relegated to minority status in their own heartland as there has been a steady influx of Afghan refugees in their province.&nbsp;

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also raised the government&#39;s intention to count the data in Islamabad.&nbsp;

While lack of equipment has been cited as the official reason, Pashtun leaders fear data would be fudged (read undercounting) to perpetuate the region in socio-economic doldrums.

They believe that undercounting would result in the region continuing to get less funds from the federal government.

The country&#39;s 500,000-odd Ahmadis -- who are viewed by the Sunni-dominant people of Pakistan as heretics -- are also worried about the census, though they have only spoken about it in hushed tones, given the levels of persecution they have been subjected to in the last seven decades.

They are concerned that identifying themselves as Ahmadis would expose them to discrimination.

Also, Ahmadi names are not different from a Muslim name. There is a danger that the enumerator might tick an uneducated Ahmadi as a Muslim on their behalf. If caught, the person might be jailed for three years for falsely identifying himself as a Muslim.

There was also a brief flutter over the lack of recognition of all religious minorities.

The initial census form had drawn up different categories for people to state their religion -- Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Ahmadi and &#39;others&#39;.

But there was a conspicuous omission -- the Sikhs were left out.

Ironically, the Sikh religion was founded about 500 years back in what is now Pakistan.

But that was later sorted out when the courts intervened.&nbsp;

And the shining beacon of this census is that transgenders will be counted for the first time. However, there was a fork in the soup.&nbsp;

People in Peshawar were given forms without that choice. But that glitch was later wrinkled out.

(WION)

The headcount gets over on May 25, but the multi-million dollar programme has been 19 years in the making

By Agnisheik Chatterji Nineteen years. That's how long after Pakistan launched its national census this year. The two-phase counting, which started on March 15, will culminate on May 25. The result is expected to be announced by end-July. But what made Islamabad delay a fresh headcount by nine years? The problems are manifold. Lack of political will, ethnic insecurity, security concerns, redistribution of wealth and political clout, are but some of the main reasons for the years-long delay. Finally, the Pakistan government had to follow the orders of the country's supreme court. After all, the government is constitutionally bound to conduct a census every decade. Largest-ever national headcount Let's get down to the brass tacks of the nationwide enumeration first. The government has spent 14.5 billion Pakistan rupees. Around 200,000 army personnel were deployed and 118,000 civilian enumerators hired to compile the data. Why even have a census? It is vital for socio-economic planning. And if the United Nations' word is to believed, census is a "powerful tool for planning" not only for religious minorities "but all the population of Pakistan". For instance, if the government needs to put a schooling system in place, the census data can make their job a lot easier. Prior to building a school, the planning team will know the number of children that will benefit from this, and also the most conducive location. Likewise with constructing roads, hospitals and other key institutions that can bolster social indices of a country. The data will also help Islamabad in tracking internal migration. For a fast-growing country like Pakistan, this is vital. The country is in the throes of rapid urbanisation. Three per cent every year -- the fastest in South Asia. The data will help the country know the resources required to keep pace with the burgeoning population in urban centres. Also, the matter of Afghan migrants. This census will count them as well. It will help the administration to keep a track on the influx of refugees in their country. To surmise, the census is a key source tool for every country. Experts say it is improbable for a country to implement social policies based on guesstimates. Especially for a developing country like Pakistan, which is hobbled by a lack of basic infrastructure. The 1998 census pegged Pakistan's head count at 132.35 million. But experts suggest the number might now be around 200 million. To nick a quote from the head of an Islamabad-based think tank, Abid Suleri, implementing policies in Pakistan is akin to "stitching someone’s clothes without knowing the age, height, weight and measurements". Loss of status quo So why has the establishment been so queasy about holding a census? As mentioned earlier, there will be a redistribution of wealth and electoral seats. There is a vested interest in maintaining a status quo. The powers-that-are are the keenest to keep things as they are. Electoral seats in Pakistan are determined by population density. So, the flow of internal migration in recent years would upend the existing balance of power. That has made powerful feudal landlords and political families squeamish. At the moment, Punjab is the most politically critical province in Pakistan. Of the 342 seats in the national assembly, Punjab has 183. That means the province can single-handedly decide the outcome of a national election. The powerful political parties enjoy widespread support in the province. So, if there is a 'devolution' of electoral seats in Punjab, parties would have to redraw their political blueprint. Political power is likely to change hands in the country's southeast Sindh province. Currently, upper Sindh is the political underdog but the recent counting is likely to change that. Lower and middle part of the province -- the hitherto political heavyweights -- would lose their current status. Also, one of the observations gleaned from the 2013 national election is that sharp ethnic faultlines have riven the country's rural areas. But rapid urbanisation, coupled with the eventual loss of electoral seats in rural areas in the aftermath of the national head count, would bring an end to such vicious votebank politics. Regional concerns Several concerns have been raised from various parts of the country. None more so than in Pakistan's poorest province Balochistan. Balochistan is a sparsely populated region. To give perspective, the province comprises 44 per cent area of the country, yet contributes just 4.96 per cent of the total population. The federal government's decision to count Afghan refugees have been stoutly opposed by the Baloch populace. They fear they would be relegated to minority status in their own heartland as there has been a steady influx of Afghan refugees in their province. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also raised the government's intention to count the data in Islamabad. While lack of equipment has been cited as the official reason, Pashtun leaders fear data would be fudged (read undercounting) to perpetuate the region in socio-economic doldrums. They believe that undercounting would result in the region continuing to get less funds from the federal government. The country's 500,000-odd Ahmadis -- who are viewed by the Sunni-dominant people of Pakistan as heretics -- are also worried about the census, though they have only spoken about it in hushed tones, given the levels of persecution they have been subjected to in the last seven decades. They are concerned that identifying themselves as Ahmadis would expose them to discrimination. Also, Ahmadi names are not different from a Muslim name. There is a danger that the enumerator might tick an uneducated Ahmadi as a Muslim on their behalf. If caught, the person might be jailed for three years for falsely identifying himself as a Muslim. There was also a brief flutter over the lack of recognition of all religious minorities. The initial census form had drawn up different categories for people to state their religion -- Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Ahmadi and 'others'. But there was a conspicuous omission -- the Sikhs were left out. Ironically, the Sikh religion was founded about 500 years back in what is now Pakistan. But that was later sorted out when the courts intervened. And the shining beacon of this census is that transgenders will be counted for the first time. However, there was a fork in the soup. People in Peshawar were given forms without that choice. But that glitch was later wrinkled out. (WION)

Enumerating Pakistan's census exercise

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Pakistan has more mosques, madrassas than factories? Economic census reveals surprising details

Pakistan’s first ever digital census

Three men, 96 children: Pakistan's population boom threatens economic gains

Enumerating Pakistan's census exercise