ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has approved the plan to assist the federal government in holding the sixth population and housing census, and for this purpose 200,000 army troops will take part in the process, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a statement on Friday.
Security sources told Daily Times that the federal and provincial governments had requested the army chief for the deployment of army troops during the census process starting from March 15.
Sources said that the army would assist the government in the conduct of census, while other operations like Zarb-e-Azb and the Karachi operation would also continue.
The census process will be completed in phases, and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has finalised all arrangements in this regard. The Ministry of Finance has also released Rs 15 billion to meet the expenses.
German Ambassador to Pakistan Ina Lepel met COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters on Friday.
Matters of mutual interest, including regional security issues, were discussed during the meeting. Ina Lepel acknowledged the Pakistan Army’s achievements in the fight against terrorism and continued efforts for peace and stability in the region, said the ISPR spokesman.
