The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) on Friday reiterated that local body elections in Karachi and Hyderabad cannot be held until the new delimitation, but did not rule out its participation.
MQMP spokesperson Ahsan Ghori told JEE News that “if the elections are held despite our reservations, we will not boycott them. However, we will not accept the results of the elections.”
The MQM-P’s announcement came hours after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to hold local body elections in Karachi and Hyderabad as scheduled on January 15, with the Sindh government postponing the elections. The request was rejected.
Addressing a press conference along with MQMP leaders, Barrister Farogh Naseem accused the Sindh government of injustice in determining constituencies for local elections.
“Under sub-section 1 of Section 10 of the Sindh Local Government Act, the provincial government had fixed constituencies for LG elections, but the population of these constituencies was disproportionate,” he added.
He claimed that the constituencies that have MQMP’s vote bank consist of 90,000 people and others have a population of only 20,000, adding that this is “injustice” to the people.
On this occasion, MQMP leader Faisal Sabzwari said that he has doubts about the transparency of elections due to differences in constituencies.
“In the constituencies, it is seen that Nazimabad, Korangi and Orangi Town have more population than seats. Some areas have less population and more seats. How will the elections be transparent?” Sabzwari asked expressing concerns.
In an apparent reference to the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), he questioned the absence of people putting up banners across the city when ‘injustice was being done’ to Karachi and Hyderabad.
The city has not had a census for the last 20 years. When the [Pakistan Democratic Movement] PDM joined the government, the first point was raised regarding the census,” he said.
