Lawmakers reject approach of holding census in FATA

Author: By Tariq Virk

ISLAMABAD: A new problem has been created for the dwellers of FATA under the new census, which is going to take place in the country next month.

The parliamentarians of FATA have strongly protested against the conspiracy of registering them in different areas instead of their own native areas, and rejected the new method of census.

The Senate’s Standing Committee on SAFRON was told that new forms could not be printed pertaining to census of FATA, but if NADRA gave data, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics with the help of CNIC numbers could include the dwellers of FATA in census.

However, the chief of statistics said that it could be possible after the census, as the process had to be completed by April 14.

The parliamentarians of FATA warned that they would raise their voice against this on every platform, and demanded that the authorities register FATA dwellers in their own areas.

To this, the chief reiterated that the cabinet had approved the method of census, which could not be changed. He said that the department would complete the census under the prescribed method.

He said that the residents who had moved to other areas and utilising public facilities available there would be included in those particular areas.

On this, the members of the committee said that the population of FATA would be reduced by adopting this method. Most of the people have migrated to other areas owing to worsening condition of law and order in FATA, they said, adding that now the population of FATA had already reduced.

The chief said that if a person was abroad for the last six month, he would not be included in census, and foreigners residing in Pakistan without legal documents would also not be included.