Census shows Sindh’s population less by 22%: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has reiterated his disapproval over the population census 2017, underlining that Sindh's population has been shown around 22 per cent less than the actual numbers. He was talking to the media in Thatta district on Sunday, where he attended the chehlum of former provincial minister Syed Ijaz Ali Shah Shirazi.

"According to our estimates, Sindh's population is over 60 million but the census has come up with 47 million figure," he said. He contended that it was not only Sindh that was subjected to injustice but Balochistan and to some extent KPK also raised objections against the census in the Council of Common Interests' meetings.

The CM told that the census issue will be taken up once again in the upcoming CCI meeting. The Pakistan Peoples Party is not alone in its stance against the census. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan as well as the nationalist parties in Sindh have time and again rejected the census with the former also challenging it before the judiciary.

Read ‘Unfair population count’: PSP warns of shutting down city

Commenting on the foreign funding case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, he said he believes that it is an open and shut case. "The controversy has become clear before the nation and the Election Commission of Pakistan, which will give its decision."

Shah while speaking on the matter of the senate elections said it was although for the Supreme Court to decide, the constitution has explicitly laid down that the elections should be conducted through a secret ballot. Responding to a question about encroachments on historical Makli Graveyard in Thatta, the CM informed that the culture department and the deputy commissioner have been directed to take action against squatters and thieves of heritage. Officials will also have to submit a report over the issue.

Labour accommodations

Meanwhile, Sindh minister for education and labour Saeed Ghani at a press conference in Sukkur district announced that possession of the labour flats built in Sukkur will be handed over to the allottees at a ceremony on Monday (today). According to him, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be the chief guest on the occasion.

He told that the Workers Welfare Board has constructed 1,024 flats constructed in Sukkur for the labours, adding that similar projects are also underway in other cities of Sindh. The former federal minister for labour Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, who belongs to Sukkur and is currently in custody of National Accountability Bureau, had performed the project's groundbreaking in May, 2011.

Ghani said the allotments were delayed for different reasons. Initially possession of those flats will be given to the allotees which are not under any dispute, he added. The labour department will continue the verification process to hand over possession of all the 1,024 apartments.

Coronavirus-infected patients as well as the suspected cases were also housed in the same labour flats in Sukkur in April, 2020.

In November, 2019, Ghani had alleged that the National Accountability Bureau, Sukkur, was forcing the labour officials to issue the allotment orders to the NAB identified persons. He had blamed a particular NAB official for forcefully taking away a labour official on October 31, 2019, from his office to an allotment handing over ceremony in Sukkur. However, the minister objected to the pressurized allotment and allowed NAB to conduct an inquiry.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2021.