Islamabad
Chief Census Commissioner (CCC) Asif Bajwa on Tuesday informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance that the Army personnel would be providing foolproof security and supervising the process for undertaking monitoring of the upcoming population census from March 15, 2017.
“In case of any suspicious information given to enumerators, they will inform their supervisors in order to hold census in a transparent manner. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) will count everyone even Afghans if they posses Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) because enumerators will not be in a position to differentiate between Pakistanis and Afghan nationals,” Asif Bajwa said while briefing the parliamentary panel here at the Parliament House on Tuesday.
The NA panel held its meeting under chairmanship of Qaiser Sheikh here at the Parliament House in which MQM-Pakistan’s Parliamentary Leader Farooq Sattar criticised the PBS for holding the census in phased manner and argued that the number of blocks were reduced in urban areas of Sindh and increased in rural parts of the province.
The Committee was briefed by the Chief Statistician regarding preparation of implementation status of upcoming census in the country. He informed the Committee that Council of Common Interests (CCI) in its meeting held on 29thFebruary, 2016 deliberated on the issue and decided to hold the census under the supervision of Armed Forces at man to man level. He told the Committee that due to non-availability of requisite number of Armed Forces in March/April 2016, census could be held in March/April, 2016 and was postponed. He told the Committee that CCI in its meeting held on 16th December, 2016 decided that census may be held on traditional method using paper based questionnaires starting from 15th March, 2017. He added that census is going to be held in phases in the country.
After detailed discussion, some members showed their apprehensions regarding the increase in blocks and double entry during the census process. The Committee has also shown its concern about the verification of Afghan refugees’ identity. The Committee recommended that disabled persons should also be highlighted in the census form. The Committee unanimously directed the PBS to ensure the accuracy and transparency during the census process. The Committee decided that next meeting of the Committee would be convened, shortly. Chairman, Nadra would also be invited to the said meeting.
PTI’s MNA Asad Umar alleged that SBP officers were involved in money laundering by playing the role of facilitators as they were protecting interests of those who were buying properties abroad.
Asad Umar made these allegations during the NA panel meeting when all members of the committee irrespective of political divide were unanimously criticising the SBP for failing to secure the interest of agriculture sector. The whole committee including Chairman and members were annoyed that the Governor SBP could not manage to attend the meeting of the Committee.
Asad Umar said, “I want to recall in front of the whole committee including the guest MNAs here, this is my statement on record- why has the State Bank not responded to a set of questions for almost four months. I had asked simple question about investments by the individuals in Dubai- either in businesses or in the shape of properties, the State Bank has not responded so I am compelled to say that the central bank was supporting or facilitating money laundering.”
Several months back, during a Committee meeting Asad Umar had asked the State Bank officials, if any individual is granted permission to take money abroad for investments and the answer was ‘no’ and only reputed companies were given permission to invest abroad.
Asad Umar had inquired the reasons why there were regular advertisements calling upon Pakistani citizens to invest in commercial and residential properties in Dubai, and placed a set of questions to the SBP.
Later on, talking to the media he said that the Governor State Bank was going to retire soon so he was wasting time and the new Governor will have to face all the music.
However, SBP immediately responded on this statement of PTI leader and said apropos of the statements made by MNA Asad Umar, during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation, it is unfortunate that allegations of involvement of SBP in money laundering have been leveled. It was also alleged by Asad Umar that SBP has not provided information for the last four months regarding investments made by Pakistanis in Dubai properties.
SBP, categorically, rejects such allegations of its involvement in money laundering and clarifies that there is no request for information pending with it.
In this context, it is clarified that on December 19, 2016, SBP received a set of questions from the Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation, National Assembly Secretariat regarding advertisements published in Pakistani newspapers inviting people to invest in property in Dubai etc. Some of these questions pertained to SBP while rest fall in the domain of other Government agencies. On January 03, 2017, SBP responded through Finance Division while answering the questions relevant to SBP. Previously, SBP had also provided its views on issues related to buying of properties in Dubai raised by the same MNA in NA committee meeting.
SBP reiterates that it always stands ready to share any information with the august parliament within the domain of law.