The government has decided not to announce the results of the most recent census and to run the upcoming general elections based on the 2017 population count.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced this while talking on Geo News. "The tenure of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) must end. Elections will be held using the results of the previous census and delimitation if this new census is not notified by then," he added.
"The government has decided it will not notify this [new census], and the Election Commission of Pakistan will be bound to conduct the elections on the basis of the previous census," he added. "The assemblies will be dissolved after their terms have concluded."
Rana Sanaullah said that the government would not be announcing the new census because it had issues," when questioned whether he meant the CCI would not.
He continued by saying that many stakeholders were also troubled by it.
When questioned further about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a government ally in the Centre, and its concerns with the 2017 census, Sanaullah claimed the party was unhappy with the new digital census. They reject the new census altogether.
He said that Balochistan's new census has also drawn criticism.
He emphasized that there should be agreement on the findings of the census and that any decision made in a hurry about it may result in a "controversial situation" in the nation.
The minister said that it would "take time" for all sides to reach an agreement on the census.
Separately, Rana Sanaullah stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was working on the nomination process for the caretaker prime minister and that the process may be finished in a week or ten days. "The prime minister will consult the leader of the opposition and allies on it," he added.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced this while talking on Geo News. "The tenure of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) must end. Elections will be held using the results of the previous census and delimitation if this new census is not notified by then," he added.
"The government has decided it will not notify this [new census], and the Election Commission of Pakistan will be bound to conduct the elections on the basis of the previous census," he added. "The assemblies will be dissolved after their terms have concluded."
Rana Sanaullah said that the government would not be announcing the new census because it had issues," when questioned whether he meant the CCI would not.
He continued by saying that many stakeholders were also troubled by it.
When questioned further about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a government ally in the Centre, and its concerns with the 2017 census, Sanaullah claimed the party was unhappy with the new digital census. They reject the new census altogether.
He said that Balochistan's new census has also drawn criticism.
He emphasized that there should be agreement on the findings of the census and that any decision made in a hurry about it may result in a "controversial situation" in the nation.
The minister said that it would "take time" for all sides to reach an agreement on the census.
Separately, Rana Sanaullah stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was working on the nomination process for the caretaker prime minister and that the process may be finished in a week or ten days. "The prime minister will consult the leader of the opposition and allies on it," he added.