ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The sixth population census will be held in the country in March next year with the support of armed forces, according to a decision taken by a meeting of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) held in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The CCI meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were present in the meeting.
The meeting also decided to hold house-counting simultaneously with the population census. It directed the provinces to frame rules and complete other formalities at the earliest for absorption of federal employees transferred to provincial governments in the wake of 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar informed the meeting that the census would cost Rs13 billion.
The meeting also approved amendment in Power Policies of 2009 and 2012, and raised objection on power generation 2015.
The meeting was informed that proceedings on Pakistan Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Bill 2014 have been completed and soon it would be presented in the parliament.
The item related to short supplies of water in Pat feeder and Kirthar Canals was deferred due to the non-availability of the Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik who is out of country and could not attend the CCI meeting.
Regarding the construction of Chashma Right Bank Canal, it was agreed that the Ministry of Water and Power would discuss modalities with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
The prime minister directed the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to streamline its procedures at the earliest to facilitate energy businesses.
