KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan chief Farooq Sattar said on Sunday that the population of Karachi had been halved in the census results.
Addressing a party rally at Liaquatabad Flyover on Sunday, he said that water and other basic facilities would also be halved for the city. “Almost half of Karachi’s population has not been counted in the census process. This is not headcount, rather omitting of headcount,” he said.
“As a result of the wrong results, our representation has been halved. We reject this rigged census. Even the persons with disabilities have not been counted in the census.”We demand that the census process be conducted again,” he said.
“MQM is a force to reckon with. We want to be treated justly. If justice is not done, then we will expand our protest to every street. We demand that MQM be given political freedom,” he said.
He also claimed that the current MQM-Pakistan would turn into the MQM of 1986.
“MQM is the only party which understands the problems of the people. MQM is the only party which can solve their problems,” he said. Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izharul Hassan dismissed the idea that there was rift between members of MQM-Pakistan. “There are no groups in the party,” he said.
“Our enemies are obsessed with seeing how many people have left our party. However, they should come and see how many people actually support us,” he said.
“Wickets are lost in a match with 11 players. Our team comprises more than 11 people. The whole nation supports us,” Hassan said, adding that people who were trying to destabilise the party should know that their efforts would unsuccessful.
“You should also focus on Pakistan People’s Party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and how their leaders are deserting them,” he said. Faisal Sabzwari also spoke against the provisional results of the census.
“The population of Karachi has not been counted correctly. Karachi is being harmed and everyone is sleeping. The enemies of MQM have become the enemies of Karachi. The PPP is not at all concerned with Karachi,” he said.
Published in Daily Times, November 6th 2017.
