ISLAMABAD: The census will be postponed once again for lack of troops to ensure security, it was decided at a meeting presided by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday.
Census, which was expected to take place this year, remained one of the key topics discussed at the Council of Common Interest (CCI) meeting held at the Prime Minister House.
The Secretary Pakistan Bureau of Statistics told the meeting that he had held meetings with various provincial and federal heads asking for 300,000 troops to participate in the activity, so as to assure transparency and ensure security.
The meeting was informed that due to engagement of Armed forces in operations of shawal and Zarb-e-Azb the required number of troops cannot be spared at this stage.
The option of having the census in phases was also discussed during the meeting. However, the meeting was informed by PBS that a phased census was not in line with international best practices.
It was, therefore, unanimously decided that census shall be postponed and a new date may be finalised in due course in consultation with provincial governments and Armed forces.
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