ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/QUETTA: Calling the absence of a separate column for disabled persons in the form of population census “a bid to suppress their rights”, the apex court as well as high courts in Punjab and Sindh on Tuesday expressed their annoyance with the government and its allied departments for ignoring the handicapped population in the country.
The Supreme Court (SC) sought an explanation from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for excluding questions seeking disability information during the sixth national population census, starting from today (Wednesday).
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, expressed its concern over the exclusion of questions seeking information related to persons with disabilities.
The CJP observed, however, that the census process could not be halted at this stage. The hearing of the case was later adjourned until tomorrow (Thursday).
The development came during the hearing of a petition filed by advocate Raheel Kamran Sheikh on behalf of six persons with disabilities under Article 184(3) of the constitution.
Meanwhile, Sindh High Court (SHC) expressed displeasure over non-inclusion of disabled persons’ column in the census form and sought replies from the federal and provincial governments by March 17 in this regard.
Moving the SHC, the petitioner took the plea that the same column was available in the form of population census for 1998. He said that there were 5 million disabled persons in Sindh, and over 200 million in the country. The court remarked that the matter would be considered a bid to suppress the rights of the disabled persons rather than negligence.
Similarly, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah directed the federal government and the PBS to ensure inclusion of separate column for persons with disabilities in the population census.
The chief justice issued the directives while disposing of a petition moved on behalf of the Milestone Society for Special Persons, seeking inclusion of information regarding disabled persons in the census.
On the other hand, the Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Tuesday directed the federal and provincial governments not to include Afghan refugees in the population census.
The divisional bench of the BHC, consisting of Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar and Abdullah Baloch, passed the order on an application filed by Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader Ghulam Nabi Marri.
