Govt agrees to hold population census from March 15

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has agreed to hold population census in the country from March 15, after the Supreme Court asked it to submit a written assurance in this regard.

The Supreme Court on Thursday had asked the government to submit a written assurance that the census will begin on March 15 and end on May 5 next year, expressing resentment over delay in holding the census and not finalising any date.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard a suo motu case on Thursday over delay in population census in the country. The chief justice observed that democratic system highly depended upon population census.

"There is a huge difference between 1998 and today's population," he had observed. "Policies are being made without having any record of the exact number of people in the country. The court had sought a final date from the government for population census.

The federal government, however, agreed today to hold census in the country from March 15 next year, for which it has also taken provinces on-board.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf said the summary for holding the census has been forwarded to Council of Common Interests.