NA body on Economic Affairs and Statistics meets
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—Under the decision of the Federal Cabinet and for efficient utilization of available resources, timely collection of data and for further formulation of public policies, the Federal Statistical System of Pakistan should be strengthened and all the organization involved in collecting statistical data be merged into Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS).
This was informed to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Affairs and Statistics which met here under the Chairmanship of Rasheed Akbar Khan, MNA in the Parliament House, says a press release issued here today.
The Committee discussed the proposed restructuring/reorganization of Federal Statistical System by merger of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), Agricultural Census Organization (ACO) and Population Census Organization (PCO) in Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and other matters relating to the Statistics Division.
The Director General (FBS) apprised the Committee that for efficient utilization of available resources and for timely collection of data for further formulation of public policies, it was decided by the Federal Cabinet that Federal Statistical System of Pakistan should be strengthened and all the organization involved in collecting statistical data be merged into Federal Bureau of Statistics.
The meeting also felt that professionalism amongst the staff of statistical organizations should be enhanced through capacity building and human resources development.
Consequent to the Cabinet’s decision, a unified law merging the existing laws and covering new requirements has been drafted and would be presented before Cabinet for its approval. After the enactment of the Law, all the organizational i.e. FBS, ACO & PCO would be merged into PBS.
He had a strong conviction that the proposed merger would curtail the overlapping of work and enhance coordination between different departments for collection of data for formulation of public policies.
The Director General (PCO) also informed the Committee about the steps initiated for enhancing professionalism and building capacity of the personnel working in these organizations.
The Committee appreciated the proposed merger/re-organization, however, asked the Statistics Division to expedite the process in order to curtail the duplication of work and wastage of public money. Later, Committee considering the ongoing recruitment process in the Statistics Division and its attached departments directed the Ministry to accelerate the recruitment process since the organizations were already under staffed.
The Representative of Statistics Division informed the Committee that candidates qualifying the prescribed criteria have been short listed and call letters to them have been issued. The process would be completed shortly after conducting tests and interviews at regional offices in all four provincial capitals.
When a senior official of the Statistics Division was contacted, he told APP that the Population Census Organization (PCO) will be merged after the population census to be held in 2008. MNAs Pir Mohammad Aslam Bodla, Akram Masih Gill, Ishaq Khan Khakwani, Israrul Ebad Khan, Representatives of Statistics Division, PCO,ACO and FBS attended the meeting.