SHC wants population census as soon as possible

Bureau of statistics head claimed it will take them 10 months.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Tuesday the Head of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the secretary of the cabinet division, the interior secretary and the Sindh chief secretary to submit detailed reports by January 22, 2015, with proposals to conduct and conclude a national census within the shortest possible time.

Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the division bench passed this direction on a petition seeking direction for the federal and provincial authorities to conduct a population census before conducting the local bodies elections.

The petition was filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan vice-president Siddique Rathore. On the last date of hearing, the judges had imposed a fine of Rs10,000 each on the cabinet division secretary, the Sindh chief secretary and the provincial census commissioner for failing to file comments despite repeated notices and directions.

On Tuesday, the head of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics filed his comments, saying that the bureau was ready to conduct a census. However, it requires at least 10 months to make the necessary arrangements. He clarified, however, that this exercise will only be concluded within such time, subject to the availability of 'financial resources as well as security cover'.

The two-judges observed that: "It hardly needs any mention that the census is now overdue." Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar remarked that there can be no effective and fair representation from different parts of the country without a census of population.

As far as the security cover and the financial resources are concerned, they said the federal government was bound to provide sufficient funds for the exercise. The judges ordered them to submit detailed warned that any attempt to delay the exercise will not be tolerated.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2014.