ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Muhammad Balighur Rehman Tuesday informed the Senate that national census would be held after the availability of armed forces.
Responding to a calling attention notice of Senators Nasreen Jalil and Ilyas Ahmed Bilour about postponement of census, he said the census was delayed for the time being due to army’s engagement in the operation Zarb-i-Azb.
The minister said that all preparations regarding availability of funds, and appointment of staff and their training had been completed. Reservations of some provinces, if any, on the issue would be addressed in the meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI).
He said the CCI in its last meeting on February 29 was told that the operation Zarb-e-Azb was still continuing and the army was engaged there.
He assured the House that as soon as the armed forces were available census would be held.
He said it was decided in the CCI meeting on March 18, 2015 that census would be held in March, 2016, under the supervision of army and as per proposal of the Statistics Division.
Balighur Rehman said the last national census was held during the PML-N government in 1998 and the forthcoming census would also be held during the tenure of its government.
