Pak census begins amidst boycott

ISLAMABAD, MARCH 4: Pakistan8217;s first census in 17 years began on Monday amid a heavy Army presence and complaints of manipulation by some ethnic groups, who say they may boycott it.

The last time when there was a census in Pakistan, the population was 84 million. Today it8217;s estimated at 140 million people.

The entire exercise is expected to take 18 days and cost 1.2 billion Pak rupees or US 26 million, said Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz.

The Army has deployed 170,000 soldiers to assist census takers and prevent violence particularly in some of the ethnically and religiously troubled parts of the country.