Govt to conduct population census in March 2017, NA told

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that the population census will be carried on in the country during March of next year.

Parliamentary Secretary for Finance, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, told the House during question hour that funds have already been apportioned for the use.

He said earlier the census was delayed due to a non-availability of the required security forces personnel as the Army has been engaged in Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

To a question, Minister for Interior Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan said the regime has established a National Security Drive for verification of Computerized National Identity Cards.

The campaign will continue for six months to verify above one hundred million CNICs. He stated during the inaugural month of the parkway, that about 35 million cards have been affirmed with the cooperation of the general public and the spiritualists.

Parliamentary Secretary for Interior, Maryam Aurangzeb, informed the House that NADRA has taken many initiatives for the facilitation of people. She said the CNICs based on fake particulars and documents are being blocked under a procedure. She said that so far, 96,579 applicants have been blocked as confirmed alien or non-alien.