Summary Government had linked census to availability of army men.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard suo moto notice case against delay in carrying out population census.
Being livid at delaying tactics of the government, the apex court directed the Attorney General to submit timeframe for fresh population census.
Expressing resentment, the Chief Justice said: “Shut down Pakistan Bureau of Statistics if this organization lacks the ability to hold head-count”.
He further asked: “If military is supposed to fulfil every task, close all other institutions”.
The apex court adjourned the case hearing till December 1.
The last census was carried out in 1998 when the population was counted at 132 million people.
It is since believed to have crossed the 200 million mark, an estimate based on figures from yearly growth statements issued by the country’s statistics bureau and survey work, making Pakistan the sixth most populous country in the world.
The census would cost 14.5 billion Pakistani rupees ($145 million) with the preliminary findings available in June 2016 and the final results issued in December 2017.
Pakistan was due to conduct a census in 2008 and 2010 but political unrest, conflict, and natural disasters contributed to delays.
The census is also a sensitive issue politically because it determines the amount of development budget allocated to each of the country’s provinces.
