MQM-P against holding polls on 2017 census

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Monday voiced strong concerns against the decision of the government in the centre to hold general polls based on the 2017 census.

MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui — whose party is a stakeholder in the government — told journalists during a presser that the population of Karachi is around 30 million, which was about 14.9 million in the 2017 census, and his party would not accept figures less than this.

The MQM-P leader vowed to resist the move after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced that the government would not notify the recently concluded census as the results are not authentic and the Election Commission of Pakistan needs at least four months to complete the delimitation process.

Under laws, the census is done after every 10 years, but the last one becomes controversial, and it was decided to conduct a fresh exercise to address reservations and carry out a fresh delimitation process.

However, objections were raised to the enumeration by the Sindh government and MQM-P. Demanding to rectify the flaws in it, they refused to accept the results.

MQM-P is a key coalition partner in the ruling alliance and had joined the government on certain conditions, including a transparent census.

Raising their reservations on the federal minister's statement, Siddiqui said that they had chosen the right path against injustices and tried in every situation to ensure peace in Karachi.

"MQM-P is the representative party of the urban areas of Sindh, especially Karachi; the impression being spread by the MQM London rally seems to be a conspiracy.

"...it was MQM Pakistan that did not leave the families of its martyrs alone. I request people not to be a party against the peace of this city; linguistic discrimination has been done in the constituencies, and it should be fixed before the elections."

Siddiqui said that the assemblies and the government would end in August. "We have made all efforts for the peace of this city. A census is one of our main demands."

He said that dozens of people are threatening the peace of the city in the name of MQM-London. "And everywhere raised a voice for recovery."

The head of MQM-Pakistan said that a few dozen people could not fight the city's case. "Karachi is waiting for a transparent, bias-free census. , do justice to the urban areas of Sindh, fulfill the promises made."