KARACHI: Government agreed to address Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s reservations over ongoing digital census seventh in country’s history after reports surfaced that party had asked its lawmakers to hand in their resignations.

According to MQM-P spokesperson, all aspects of census were reviewed in meeting held between party and government’s delegation during which former’s delegation also presented findings of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Government’s delegation, spokesperson said acknowledged MQM-P’s concerns following review. They agreed to resolve issues and stop irregularities identified in ongoing census. Delegation headed by party’s Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui that held meeting with ministers in Islamabad included Syed Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar, Syed Amin Ul Haque and Javed Haneef. Government’s delegation comprised Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and Chief Commissioner for census Dr Naeem Uz Zafar. Cracks have appeared in ranks of MQM-P leaders over issue of staying or leaving coalition government amid reservations on digital census.

As such, party has issued two contradictory statements following key session of its Coordination Committee. According to informed sources, various leaders of party expressed serious reservations about census. They were of view that Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were gaining political strength over issue of census, while MQM-P, being coalition partner was finding it hard to build its narrative on census while elections were round corner. During meeting, some lawmakers also presented their resignations to Dr Siddiqui, who chaired meeting, which was attended by senior deputy conveners Kamal, Dr Sattar and Nasreen Jalil as well as deputy conveners Anis Kaimkhani, Abdul Waseem and others.

However, it added that party would soon announce its future course of action regarding census and share it with media. Later, party issued another statement and quoted Kamal as saying that no discussion on current political situation had taken place in meeting. 

Dr Sattar said party was not leaving government. He added that two to three lawmakers of party themselves offered to submit resignations to party head.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 27 2023

Like Business on Facebook, follow @DailyNCourier on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.