FBS, PCO and ACO merged: PBS to provide credible data on economy

ZAHEER ABBASI

ISLAMABAD: The government has made operational Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) by merging the three statistical divisions with the purpose of producing a more credible data of various sectors of the economy.

Addressing a press conference after presiding over the first meeting of the governing council here, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh said the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), Population Census Organisation (PCO) and Agriculture Census Organisation (ACO) have been merged in line with the law passed by the parliament to set up an autonomous statistical body.

The minister said the governing council headed by professionals would manage the affairs of PBS and a human resource committee has been formed to interview and appoint chief statistician to head the body. He said professionals of good repute from various sectors would manage the affairs of the PBS to produce independent and reliable data to help the government prepare better policies for economy, population, agriculture and other sectors. Hafeez said all the data prepared by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics would be shared with public and Secretary Statistics Division, Asif Bajwa would manage the affairs of the new body for the interim period till the appointment of chief statistician.

The governing council of the PBS would function independently without being answerable to any ministry in compilation of the data. In reply to a question, he said that the government would soon advertise the post for hiring the chief statistician to run the affairs of the organisation.

The minister said the governing body formed a three-member HR committee to interview people for appointment of chief statistician. The sector-wise user council would be set up by taking representatives from relevant sectors, stakeholders and representatives from the provinces.

An official said the law provides for formation of 'Data Users Council' to guide and give input to the policies of the PBS. The users council will include representatives from provincial governments, the State Bank, private sector and media.

The law also provides for setting up of a statistics fund to ensure financial autonomy to the bureau. Additionally, a Statistics Research and Training Institute (SRTI) would be set up in Lahore to train the officials of the organisations.