Census put off once again

Unanimous decision taken under PM Nawaz to postpone the census due to the inadequate number of soldiers available

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:

All provinces have finally agreed to postpone the population census for an indefinite period after the military expressed its inability to spare adequate troops for the exercise.

The Council of Common Interests (CCI) — an inter-provincial, dispute-resolving body headed by the prime minister — met in Islamabad on Friday to discuss the possibility of census amid the challenges faced by the country. The option of having census in phases was also discussed.



The meeting chaired by PM Nawaz Sharif unanimously decided the population count should be postponed in view of the inadequate number of soldiers available for security duties.

A new date for census will be finalised in consultation with all provincial governments and the armed forces “in due course”, according to a statement issued by the PM House.

At the meeting, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) secretary informed the participants that according to the decision taken in the previous CCI meeting held on February 29, a series of meetings were held with provincial governments and military representatives.

Since transparency of census is vital for future planning, the PBS said about 300,000 troops were required to ensure man-to-man coverage as well as to lend credibility to the exercise and its security.

Due to the engagement of the armed forces in Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the required number of troops could not be spared at this stage.

The PBS also disapproved of a ‘phased census’ as it was not in line with international best practices and could raise serious questions on the credibility of the exercise.

A census is a highly politicised exercise in Pakistan as it usually means increased numbers of parliament seats for provinces and redistribution of resources.



Sources in the federal government said although all political parties trust the army on carrying out the massive census exercise, they are unwilling to give any commitment on accepting the census results.

After the census, they said political parties would definitely start mud slugging and make the entire exercise controversial for their election campaign before the 2018 general elections.

Flood Protection Plan

The CCI meeting also unanimously decided to constitute a committee to finalise the National Flood Protection Plan. The panel will comprise the four chief ministers and federal ministers of water and power and climate change.

Considering the countrywide devastation caused by rains and flooding in recent years, the authorities have chalked out a 10-year plan, which envisages reduction in damages through mapping of flood plains and significant improvements in relief and rescue operations.

The Rs177-billion plan also proposes construction of the controversial Kalabagh and Akhori dams to preserve floodwater and minimise rain-related damages.

Sindh against new dams

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah strongly opposed the construction of new dams, saying the Kalabagh Dam has already been rejected by Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governments.



“This flood plan seems to have been worked out by the bureaucracy, otherwise the water and power minister would not have approved it for the CCI meeting,” he contended. He added the 1991 Water Accord had no provisions for constructing new reservoirs.

When the minister tried to point out the damages caused by floods in recent years, CM Shah said except for the floods of 2010 and 2011, the country had not witnessed any major flooding during the past five years.

“Several districts in Sindh, including Tharparkar, are facing drought-like situation,” he said, arguing how could be the construction of new dams allowed in such circumstances.

PM Nawaz directed the water and power minister to give detailed briefing about the flood plan to all four chief ministers before discussing it again in the next CCI meeting.

CM Shah also urged the prime minister to fix a date for census or at least announce the month for staging the census. The premier assured him that census would be conducted in 2016.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2016.