Sindh political, nationalist parties reject census results
Karachi sees a net addition of 5.56 million people only in last 19 years, according to results
A census team in Karachi. PHOTO: EXPRESS / FILE
KARACHI:
Terming the results of the sixth population and housing census as manipulation, fraud and an attack on the province, the political and nationalist parties in Sindh said that Sindh's population has deliberately been shown less to gain political mileage.
"How is it possible that the population of Lahore and Peshawar has increased by 116% and 100% respectively while Karachi's population has increased in the last 19 years by 60%, from 9.34 million to 14.91 million - a net addition of 5.56 million people only," said Lal Bux Bhutto, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the party's federal council member.
Karachi up top, but not by much
"The same thing happened with all of Sindh. In 1998, our population stood at 30,439,893 people, which has now increased to 47,886,051 people in the stipulated time," the PPP leader said, adding that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) growth rate was more than Sindh, which is an alarming situation.
"The current results show that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Sindh have an equal average annual growth rate, which is of 2.41," he said, adding that the growth rate of Balochistan stands at 3.37, KP at 2.89 and Islamabad at 4.91.
"We had expressed our reservation when our provincial database centre of census was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad. Despite our protest, no one took our concern seriously and now finally, the results are in front of us," he said.
6th census findings: 207 million and counting
Qaumi Awami Tehreek's (QAT) leader Ayaz Latif Palijo termed the population census results as dangerous fraud and a menacing attack on the Sindh province. "PPP and some nationalist parties, which have become close to the PPP, pandered to the wishes of the Centre and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) as a bargain to gain political power in the next setup," said Palijo.
He contended that he has been reiterating, from a long time, that Sindh's population has grown to around 70 million with about 65% of the people living in rural areas and 35% in the urban. The QAT leader bewailed that against the factual population statistics, the rural population has been shown less than the urban population in Sindh, saying that the figures will negatively affect rural Sindh's representation in the Parliament and Senate.
Palijo claimed that the census was not properly carried out in the desert, mountainous, delta and forest regions of Sindh. "This is an ominous attack on the resources, livelihood, employment prospects and rights of the native people in Sindh."
Census results: Just over 10,000, transgender people only 0.005% of Pakistan's population
Aminul Haq of MQM - Pakistan termed the situation as an unfair practice which aims at converting Sindh, especially Karachi, into a minority. "We are reviewing the census [results]. Let us study it before making a policy statement on it," Haq said.
Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (Central) leader Mir Alam Mari said the population statistics of Sindh smack of forgery. He advised Sindh United Party President Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, who is the convener of the census monitoring committee of the Sindhi nationalist parties, to create consensus disapproval for the census findings among the stakeholders.
Awami Tehreek President Advocate Ghulam Nabi Khoso alleged that the census results were premeditated and the whole census exercise was a drama.
Why the census is important for Pakistan
"We reject the results of the census and condemn the state's conspiracy against Sindh," Khoso said.
Urban dominancy
The census result further revealed that the urban population of Sindh has increased from 48% to 52%.
The census experts said that there was naturally a demographic shift as most of the people now come to cities and towns. "Urban areas don't mean Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur only, but cover all areas under municipal corporations, municipal committees, town committees in all districts and tehsils of Sindh," former provincial election commissioner Sono Khan Baloch told The Express Tribune.
Baloch said the rural areas comprise district councils and its union councils, which represent suburban areas.
Census 2017: Family size shrinks
Regarding the delimitation of the constituencies, he said, "The constituencies will not only be increased with the census results, but it needs a constitutional amendment." There are a total 61 national assembly and 130 provincial assembly (general) seats in the province and the number of these seats can be increased with a certain formula to be proposed by Parliament, Baloch said.
Uncertainly prevails
Although the results were not consolidated figures, but Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah accepted the result in the last Council of Common Interest meeting where a summary of the census results were presented.
An official of the census department said that they will reveal the details of the data, but it will take a little time.
Terming the results of the sixth population and housing census as manipulation, fraud and an attack on the province, the political and nationalist parties in Sindh said that Sindh's population has deliberately been shown less to gain political mileage.
"How is it possible that the population of Lahore and Peshawar has increased by 116% and 100% respectively while Karachi's population has increased in the last 19 years by 60%, from 9.34 million to 14.91 million - a net addition of 5.56 million people only," said Lal Bux Bhutto, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the party's federal council member.
Karachi up top, but not by much
"The same thing happened with all of Sindh. In 1998, our population stood at 30,439,893 people, which has now increased to 47,886,051 people in the stipulated time," the PPP leader said, adding that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) growth rate was more than Sindh, which is an alarming situation.
"The current results show that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Sindh have an equal average annual growth rate, which is of 2.41," he said, adding that the growth rate of Balochistan stands at 3.37, KP at 2.89 and Islamabad at 4.91.
"We had expressed our reservation when our provincial database centre of census was shifted from Karachi to Islamabad. Despite our protest, no one took our concern seriously and now finally, the results are in front of us," he said.
6th census findings: 207 million and counting
Qaumi Awami Tehreek's (QAT) leader Ayaz Latif Palijo termed the population census results as dangerous fraud and a menacing attack on the Sindh province. "PPP and some nationalist parties, which have become close to the PPP, pandered to the wishes of the Centre and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) as a bargain to gain political power in the next setup," said Palijo.
He contended that he has been reiterating, from a long time, that Sindh's population has grown to around 70 million with about 65% of the people living in rural areas and 35% in the urban. The QAT leader bewailed that against the factual population statistics, the rural population has been shown less than the urban population in Sindh, saying that the figures will negatively affect rural Sindh's representation in the Parliament and Senate.
Palijo claimed that the census was not properly carried out in the desert, mountainous, delta and forest regions of Sindh. "This is an ominous attack on the resources, livelihood, employment prospects and rights of the native people in Sindh."
Census results: Just over 10,000, transgender people only 0.005% of Pakistan's population
Aminul Haq of MQM - Pakistan termed the situation as an unfair practice which aims at converting Sindh, especially Karachi, into a minority. "We are reviewing the census [results]. Let us study it before making a policy statement on it," Haq said.
Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (Central) leader Mir Alam Mari said the population statistics of Sindh smack of forgery. He advised Sindh United Party President Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, who is the convener of the census monitoring committee of the Sindhi nationalist parties, to create consensus disapproval for the census findings among the stakeholders.
Awami Tehreek President Advocate Ghulam Nabi Khoso alleged that the census results were premeditated and the whole census exercise was a drama.
Why the census is important for Pakistan
"We reject the results of the census and condemn the state's conspiracy against Sindh," Khoso said.
Urban dominancy
The census result further revealed that the urban population of Sindh has increased from 48% to 52%.
The census experts said that there was naturally a demographic shift as most of the people now come to cities and towns. "Urban areas don't mean Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur only, but cover all areas under municipal corporations, municipal committees, town committees in all districts and tehsils of Sindh," former provincial election commissioner Sono Khan Baloch told The Express Tribune.
Baloch said the rural areas comprise district councils and its union councils, which represent suburban areas.
Census 2017: Family size shrinks
Regarding the delimitation of the constituencies, he said, "The constituencies will not only be increased with the census results, but it needs a constitutional amendment." There are a total 61 national assembly and 130 provincial assembly (general) seats in the province and the number of these seats can be increased with a certain formula to be proposed by Parliament, Baloch said.
Uncertainly prevails
Although the results were not consolidated figures, but Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah accepted the result in the last Council of Common Interest meeting where a summary of the census results were presented.
An official of the census department said that they will reveal the details of the data, but it will take a little time.