A petition was lodged with the Supreme Court on Monday, contesting the outcome of the August 5 Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting that approved the 2023 digital census results with regard to Balochistan.
The petitioner, deeply concerned about what they perceive as the “blatant infringement of fundamental rights of the Balochistan populace” during the 2023 Census, has taken the initiative to approach the highest court seeking redress for these perceived violations.
The plea presented to the court outlines the petitioner’s request for the Supreme Court to appoint an impartial commission, responsible for scrutinizing and ensuring the precision, transparency, and impartiality of the data furnished by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Furthermore, the petitioner calls for independent verification of this data, conducted through the auspices of the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) Data Centres.
The individual filing the petition, as per the plea, is the progeny of a senator from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party, with a family background deeply rooted in the legal profession. The petitioner’s father, a distinguished advocate at the Supreme Court and a Senate member, has been a strong proponent of Balochistan’s rights within both legal and legislative frameworks. Similarly, the petitioner’s mother has actively served in the National Assembly.
Central to the petition’s argument is the assertion that throughout the census process, various updates had indicated Balochistan’s population to be approximately 21.7 million. However, the final sanctioned report purportedly reduced this figure to a mere 14.89 million individuals. The petitioner contends that this substantial discrepancy is the outcome of manipulations that occurred post-enumeration, leading to the exclusion of approximately seven million individuals from official records.
The petitioner’s chief apprehension stems from the potential ramifications of these alleged manipulations. It is argued that such actions might exert a significant influence on the distribution of financial resources via the National Finance Commission (NFC), as well as on Balochistan’s representation both in the National Assembly and the provincial assembly.
The petition contends that the unequal allocation of resources and political representation, on such an extensive scale, constitutes a direct violation of Articles 25 and 27 of the Constitution. As the proceedings unfold, legal experts anticipate that the case could have far-reaching implications for the rights of Balochistan’s population and the integrity of census procedures in the country. The Supreme Court’s response to this petition will undoubtedly be closely watched by citizens, legal scholars, and policymakers alike.
