Left with no other option but to summon PM Nawaz: SC on census case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday gave the government the option to provide a date for a census to be held or the apex court declared that it would have no other option but to summon Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. 

According to details, a three-member bench of the apex court presided over by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, held the proceedings of the population census delay case. The Chief Justice remarked that the court was left with no other option but to summon the Prime Minister. 

"We have been left with no other option but to summon the Prime Minister," said Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

Justice Amir Hani Muslim asked, "Tell us, when can the Prime Minister appear before the court?"  

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali said that a democratic system depended strongly on population census. 

"Call the Prime Minister or give us a final date as to when the census will be conducted," he said. 

The Chief Justice directed the government to provide a final date as to when the census will be conducted otherwise, the Prime Minister would be summoned to give an explanation to the court himself. He said that by not conducting the census, a prank was being played with the nation. 

"The government's intentions are not sincere in this regard," he said. "If a census is not conducted according to the law, the Prime Minister will be standing in the court," he added. 

The Chief Justice stated that this status quo suited all political parties.