New census unlikely, elections to rely on 2017 count: Pak minister Rana Sanaullah

The CCI (Council of Common Interests) has to complete its term. If this [new] census is not notified by then, the elections will be [held] on the basis of the previous census and delimitation

Islamabad: Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Saturday said that the government had decided not to notify the latest census. He said that the upcoming elections would be held on the basis of the 2017 census, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.

While speaking on the Pakistan-based Geo News show ‘Naya Pakistan’, Rana Sanaullah said, “The CCI (Council of Common Interests) has to complete its term. If this [new] census is not notified by then, the elections will be [held] on the basis of the previous census and delimitation,” according to Dawn.

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He further said, “And the government has decided it will not notify this [new census] and when the assemblies will dissolve after completing their terms, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will be bound to conduct elections on the basis of the previous census,” the report said.

Sanaullah said that the government will not be notifying the census as it had “issues,” according to Dawn. He said that various stakeholders had concerns regarding it.

He also emphasized that it was important that all the issues were sorted out and any decision in haste on the census will result in a “controversial situation” in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday held a meeting with Pakistan People’s Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Party (IPP) patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported. Sharif and Zardari held a discussion on the political situation of Pakistan.

In a statement released on Twitter, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stated, “Former President and President of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari arrived at the residence of Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore. The two leaders held a detailed consultation on the country’s political situation.”

According to well-placed sources, the leaders agreed to hold the next general elections on time, The Express Tribune reported. The leaders took a fire stance that the elections should not be delayed under any circumstance. As per the news report, the leaders have decided to choose “a senior politician” as the caretaker Prime Minister instead of a bureaucrat.

In another tweet, PML-N stated that Pakistan PM visited Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan Tareen’s house to offer condolences on the death of his brother Alamgir Tareen. He prayed for strength and patience for the mourning family, The Express Tribune reported citing a press release by Pakistan Prime Minister’s office.