Pakistan Supreme Court 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.
“We have been left with no other option but to summon the Prime Minister,” said Justice Anwar.
Justice Amir Hani Muslim asked, “Tell us when the Prime Minister can appear before the court?”
“A democratic system depended strongly on population census,” said the chief justice.
“Call the Prime Minister or give us a final date as to when the census will be conducted,” he said.
If a date for the census is not provided, the PM would be summoned to give an explanation to the court himself.
“A prank was being played with the nation, by not conducting a census,” he added.
“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 on the court,” Justice Anwar said.
The Chief Justice stated that this status quo suited all political parties.