Pakistan delays census till next year

Islamabad, June 15 (IANS) Hit by security concerns, Pakistan has postponed its sixth national census till next year, Dawn reported on Wednesday.

Law Minister Zahid Hamid made the announcement on Tuesday, saying the exercise could be conducted in November or March next year.

This itself would depend on the availability of military personnel, he added.

The government, facing criticism from the opposition and others for the delay in the census, had earlier asserted that it would definitely be held this year. 

Hamid said the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had decided last year to conduct the census under the army’s supervision in March this year and Rs 2 billion had been released for the purpose.

But Dawn quoted him as saying that the census had to reschedule because of non-availability of the troops. He said more than 350,000 soldiers were required to conduct the gigantic exercise.