The government has finally convened a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on December 15 on the issue of conducting the much-delayed sixth population census in the country. Chief Statistician and Census Commissioner Asif Bajwa and an official of Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination confirmed that a meeting of the CCI has been convened for taking the provinces on board on the issue of population census.
The official further stated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has given approval to convene the 30th meeting of the CCI. Asif Bajwa said as stated "the meeting was requested by the PBS to take approval of the next population census in the backdrop of latest development."
On 1st December 2016, Bajwa told media that a proposal has been finalised for the CCI with a request to conduct the population census in two phases due to unavailability of the required personnel of armed forces for the exercise. "We have got the required funds from the finance ministry," Bajwa added.
A meeting of the CCI held on March 17, 2015, had decided that sixth population census would be conducted in March 2016 with the support of the armed forces, as was done in 1998. However, the census was delayed on the premise that required armed forces personnel could not be made available due to operation against extremists. Conducting a population census after every 10 years is a constitutional requirement as it not only helps government in policymaking but also has role in distribution of resources.
The present government does not have a very good track record as far as Constitutional requirement for holding CCI meeting after every 90 days was concerned and like previous meetings, this one would take place after a period of seven months.
Sources in the IPC ministry stated that the Finance Division also wants to discuss fiscal policy issues with the provincial governments at the forum of the CCI. According to the request, the Finance Division wants quarterly meeting with provinces on matters of fiscal policy issues, debt stock and cash balance. Chairman FBR and provincial finance secretaries are suggested to meet on a quarterly basis on these issues.