Supreme Court orders govt to submit census date by Dec 07

ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali ordered the government to resume the much delayed census in the country by March 15 next year, ARY News reported on on Thursday.

A three member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali expressed its disappointment over the government inaction and warned that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be in court for clarification if the population census date not finalized by December 07.

Chief Justice Jamali in suo moto hearing pertaining to delay in census ordered the government to initiate the census process by March 15 in 2017 to complete it within two months.

The bench observed that delay in population census shows the government’s intentions adding that this status quo suits to all political parties.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked that the government today stating that census is impossible without the support of the army. The Election commission in the same vein could also say that the elections could not be held without support of the army.

The chief justice ordered the government to put forth a final date for census till December 07 with duly signed by the prime minister.

The apex court had taken suo motu notice of the continuous delay in the population count, which is being delayed since year 2008.