Polls unlikely in 2018, observes SC

Tells govt has to conduct census not a war

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed it does not seem that elections will be held in 2018, adding that the government has to carry out a census not to wage a war.

The court adjourned the hearing in the suo moto case pertaining to the population census in the country after the attorney general sought more time for consulting with the government.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali observed any attempt to defer the matter of population census in the country may lead to postponement of the next general elections.

Attorney General Ashter Ausaf submitted that conducting a population census is a sensitive activity, which is not possible without the provision of army personnel.

At this, Justice Qazi Faiz Isa remarked that if the army has to perform duty in the census, where was the civilian government’s writ in the country.

On the last hearing, the court, while expressing dissatisfaction over the report submitted by the government, had directed for submitting some additional documents with the report.

Chief Justice Jamali had asked the government to fulfill its constitutional duty failing which the forthcoming general elections would be fraudulent.

On Wednesday, the attorney general sought more time to consult the government in the matter. The court, after accepting the AGP’s request, adjourned the hearing till the last week of September.