THE inevitable has happened. At the last CCI meeting, the four chief ministers and the prime minister sat down and unanimously agreed that the census needs to be delayed, citing an array of reasons but mainly attributing the decision to the lack of availability of army personnel for escort and security duties.

The failure to set a new date suggests the delay could be indefinite. Whatever reasons they may have cited, it is quite clear that none of the participants had the will to push for the census to be held.

Also read: CCI postpones population census

The status quo appears to suit their interests much better; disruptions in the foundation of the political system caused by the findings of a new census are a headache they would all rather avoid.

So we have a variety of reasons being offered up, with Balochistan and Sindh arguing that the presence of large numbers of Afghan migrants and refugees could skew the ethnic ratios in their provinces, and the federal government saying that so long as Operation Zarb-i-Azb is on, the availability of troops will continue to be a challenge.

All of these problems were known well in advance, and the fact that they should be invoked on the first day of March, the very month when the census was due to take place, shows the lethargy and reluctance with which the political parties, particularly the ruling party, has approached this important matter.

The delay in recognising the logistical challenges posed by the census exercise is central here. Memories of 2011 are now coming back, when the previous government at least managed to get a housing census done before the exercise went off the rails.

But back then too, delays in calling the CCI and arranging one-on-one meetings between the prime minister and various chief ministers were manifest signs of a lack of will to see the exercise through.

This time around, despite the fact that this government is far less encumbered by tensions with other branches of the state, the same lethargy in holding the consultations required to overcome the logistical challenges posed by the census are in full view.

Had the reasons for a postponement been given a few months ago, they might well have cut some ice. But at the last minute they sound like nothing but excuses in order to wiggle out from under a commitment clearly given in haste and without any forethought.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2016