The court directed the Bureau of Statistics to make preparations for a census within the shortest possible time. PHOTO: EXPRESS
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, directed all of them to submit their detailed reports regarding the preparations by March 3. Earlier, the bench expressed its displeasure over what it called the ‘non-serious’ attitude of the government towards conducting the fresh census, which had long been delayed.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the deputy census commissioner, Liaquat Ali Chattha, filed a report on behalf of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics as to whether it can conduct a census within three months, as asked on the last hearing.
The bureau said it is ready and willing to carry out the enumeration phase of census, however, the matter was pending before the Council of Common Interest.
After going through the report, the judges remarked that “it is unfortunate to note that though the summary of holding both the population and housing census was placed on the agenda of the council for consideration on February 10, 2014, the matter was not discussed and was forwarded for the next meeting.”
The report said the council had asked the Chief Minister of Sindh to come up with a possible resolution for the matter, perhaps the law and order situation, within a month and the minister of Inter-Provincial Coordination was also directed to coordinate with the Balochistan CM on the issue.
The judges noted that the bureau’s report does not reveal as to what transpired thereafter.
They observed that the report says that the Bureau of Statistics is ready to conduct the population and housing census in the country and at least ten months’ time is required to make necessary arrangements and coordination with the provinces to undertake the exercise. This is also subject to the availability of the necessary funds, the bureau said. The bench members observed that “the above reveals absolute non-serious attitude of the government.”
They further observed that “it rather shows that the government is attempting to delay the census. In case it is the law and order situation in Balochistan, immediate measures should be put in place to contain the same.”
The bench told the officers that “more so when the operation against the terrorists and outlaws is underway in the country and it seems that the security situation in Balochistan has relatively improved”.
They said the government without any further loss of time should allocate sufficient funds for the exercise. The court directed the Bureau of Statistics to make preparations for a census within the shortest possible time.
“We would, therefore, direct all the relevant authorities, particularly the Cabinet Division, the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the Bureau of Statistics to coordinate in the matter and submit a detailed and comprehensive report after due preparations so that the census is held within the shortest possible time.
Adjourning the hearing till March 3, the judges ordered all relevant authorities to submit a detailed compliance report. A notice was also issued to the secretary of the inter-provincial coordination division to coordinate efforts towards carrying out a census.
The office was directed to provide a copy of this order to the deputy attorney general, Ainuddin Khan, to convey it to all relevant authorities to ensure compliance.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2015.
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