ISLAMABAD – Surveyors have done most of the work of compilation of the digital map of the urban areas of Pakistan, and the remaining work will be completed within six to eight weeks. Asif Bajwa, chief statistician with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), told a meeting of the finance ministry that the work was being carried out in coordination with the provincial governments. Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Ishaq Dar directed that the rural survey also be initiated and completed expeditiously, so that updated data is available to the decision makers for informed decisions. Bajwa informed Dar that the bureau had launched a programme for the in-house training and skill improvement of its staff for better performance. New technologies and software updates were also being introduced to ensure better performance of the Institution, he said. The minister appreciated the initiative of the PBS team on skill improvement and directed that the remaining work on the collection of data and necessary information should be completed as soon as possible.