## 12 Future Directions  
We will be exploring the integration of advanced privacy-preserving technologies, such as ZKP, SSI, DIDs, and homomorphic encryption. The primary researcher is collaborating with the National Census Bureau of Pakistan on people's awareness of blockchain technology, providing consultation on its seamless integration with existing government databases and systems. We need to ponder upon the incentive mechanisms for citizens, NGOs, and agencies to further encourage their active participation in order to reduce the likelihood of intentional avoidance. Another important aspect we will be working on is the development of blockchain standards specifically tailored for census applications as well as the integration of machine learning algorithms for predictive analytics and trend analysis based on census data. Models card tools will be considered for the transparent documentation of machine learning models. They can be used to document the algorithms and models used for data analysis and prediction, and they can detail the data inputs, model training processes, versioning, performance metrics, and any biases identified in the models. The exploration of the implementation of a decentralized governance model for decision-making within the census blockchain network described in this study is another dimension we will be looking into. Writing--original draft, S.R. ; Writing--review & editing, S.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research received no external funding. The questionnaire of the structured interviews is provided in Appendix A. The data analysis of the structured interviews is published in the IEEE conference [48]. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The list of abbreviations used in the paper is as follows: AES--Advanced Encryption Standards; AFIS--Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems; AWS--Amazon Web Services; BINC-TAPS--Blockchain-Based Implementation of National Census as a Supplementary Instrument for Enhanced; Transparency, Accountability, Privacy, and Security; BFT--Byzantine Fault Tolerance; CAA--Citizenship Amendment Act; CD-ROM--Compact Disc Read-Only Memory; CSV--Comma-separated Values; DIDs--Decentralized Identifiers; DLT--Distributed Ledger Technology; DVD--Digital Video Disc; ETH--Ethereum; ID--Identification; IPFS--InterPlanetary File System; IT--Information Technology;KYC--Know Your Customers; MSP--Membership Service Provider; NGO--Non-government Organization; NADRA--National Database and Registration Authority; NPO--Non-Profit Organizations; NRFU--Non-response Follow-up; P2P--Peer-to-peer; PII--Personally Identifiable Information; SEC--Securities and Exchange Commission; SHA--Secure Hash Algorithm; SMS--Short Message/Messaging Service; SSI--Self-Sovereign Identity; TPS--Transaction Per Second; UK--United Kingdom; UN--United Nations; US--United States; VAT--Value-added Tax. Appendix A Questionnaire Target Audience: Bureau of National Population Census, Pakistan. Section 1. About You:  
1. What is your designation/position in the organization? (text)
2. How long have you been working with the Census Bureau? (9 years or high/7+ years/5+ years/3+ years/2 years or less)
3. Educational background (radio button option)
* Matriculation
* Intermediate
* BA/BSc
* Master
* PhD
* Field of Study (text)
4. What is your role in the census data collection and dissemination process? (meaning, do you have any direct access to the data? If so, what do you do?) **Section 2. Existing Population Census System:**
5. Is the existing national population census process is: (radio button option)
* A paper-based solution
* Paperless solution (tablet-based, online form)
6. Is the current system centralised (Yes / No)
* meaning, all data is stored at a single location and database? 7. Is the current system immutable? (Yes / No)
* how is immutability provided? 8. How do they ensure that data within your organization is safe? Which protocols do you have in place? (text)
9. Is the current system reliable?