Census issues: In-camera briefing for Sindh PA delayed

Meeting postponed till new schedule is announced by federal government

KARACHI: The Statistics Division (SD) has postponed the in-camera briefing to the lawmakers of the Sindh Assembly till the new schedule is announced by the federal government.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Sindh Assembly secretary GM Umar Farooq said that the SD was in contact with him and the delay was mutually decided. "The census is not going to be carried out now, so there is no benefit of it before the final date is announced," he said. Farooq added that the SD officials were ready to brief the assembly members but it was not right time now.



Farooq further said that the provincial assembly wrote a letter to the SD to brief the lawmakers, on the instruction of the speaker. The letter was sent on Monday and the SD officials have replied on Wednesday. He said that the members of provincial assembly will be briefed once the final date is announced in the next meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

Earlier, in the CCI meeting on February 29 it was decided that the armed forces were busy in war against terrorists which is why it was not possible to complete the census. It was also decided that the future census schedule may be prepared in consultation with the provinces and army.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2016.