Expressing its dismay over the inordinate delay in holding population census in the country, the Supreme Court Wednesday said the government must fulfill its constitutional duty or be ready to face the music. Resuming the hearing of a suo motu case over delay in population census, a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali said the government must prioritize the population census for a far-reaching impact.
Earlier, submitting a report before the apex court in the matter Statistics Division cited a letter of the Army Chief General Raheel Sharif to federal government about census. The army chief had asked the concerned authorities to cancel all illegally issued Computerised National Identity Cards to Afghan refugees before conducting the much-awaited population census in the country.
Constitutionally, the federal government is bound to hold population census after every decade but Pakistan may be among one of a few developing countries where census has not been carried out for the past 18 years as the last population census was held in 1998. During the course of proceedings, Waqar Rana, Additional Attorney General for Pakistan (AAG) sought more time, saying Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali was supposed to submit a reply in the matter but due to some officials assignments he is abroad. Responding to a court's query, Rana apprised the bench about Ashtar Ausaf's schedule and said he would be able to appear before the court after ten days. The court adjourned the hearing of case till October 04.
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