Karachi: Government’s coalition party Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan expressed reservations about recent digital census and refused to accept its results. MQM-P leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui penned down letter to Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal regarding population census conducted in Sindh. A copy of which has also been sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Statistician Institute Naeem Uz Zafar.

In letter, MQM-P has expressed its strong reservations about recent digital population census, stating that there are undeniable evidences of deliberate irregularities in census conducted in Karachi and Hyderabad. MQM alleges that these fake numbers were intended to deprive residents of urban areas of Sindh of their political and economic rights.

Letter stated that population figures have been deliberately manipulated to reduce population of urban Sindh. “Results of seventh digital population census, including Karachi and Hyderabad, have been rejected not only by MQM but also by other parties, civil society and stakeholders,” Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stated.

Khalid Maqbool questioned possibility of increase in population by 23 percent to 49 percent in Jacobabad, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Larkana, Sukkur, Khairpur, Sanghar, Sehwan, Umerkot and Tharparkar, while in comparison, increase in population by 13 percent to 16 percent in Karachi and 18 percent in Hyderabad. MQM-P’s leader emphasised need for further steps to ensure accuracy of population census and to address concerns raised during census, particularly in urban areas of Sindh and Karachi. They have demanded that objections raised regarding population census in different parts of country, especially in urban areas of Sindh and Karachi, be addressed and time be allocated for investigation, verification and rectification after census.

In his letter, MQM-P leader stressed need to take further steps to ensure accurate census and demanded to address their reservations regarding census in various parts of country, especially urban areas of Sindh and Karachi while time should be allocated for investigation, verification and rectification after census.

Published in The Daily National Courier, June, 01 2023

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