PPP rejects ‘unilateral’ approval of census 2017 results: Sherry Rehman

Wondering how the results of census 2017 could be accepted as genuine without addressing the concerns of Sindh, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday said her party categorically rejected the federal cabinet’s approval of the census results, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

She said it was unfortunate that when the Sindh government had, on several occasions, expressed its reservations over the exercise, the population of the province was projected less than it actually was.

Sherry said that the federal cabinet had unilaterally approved the census results without consulting the Sindh government.

She expressed the surprise that how on earth such a big step could be taken without addressing Sindh’s concerns.

PPP vice president said that when Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker, in which he had demanded convening a joint session of the parliament to discuss the issue, why the session had not been convened as yet. “Is not it an issue of national interest?” the senator questioned.

Sherry said that under 154 (7) of the constitution, if the federal or a provincial government did not agree with the council’s decision, then the matter was referred to a joint session of the parliament. “In these circumstances, only the parliament is authorised to settle the issue,” she said and added it was a shame that the federal government was meting out such kind of treatment to Sindh.

“How could such a fraud be accepted?” PPP leader asked, and urged the federal government to convene a joint session of the parliament to resolve the issue.