MQM-P stages protest against ‘biased delimitation of constituecies’

Representative parties of urban areas denounce pre-poll rigging ahead LG elections

KARACHI:

Political parties, representing urban areas in Sindh, on Wednesday staged a demonstration in Karachi to protest against the ECP decision to go-ahead with local government elections on January 15 despite their reservations on biased delimitation of constituencies.

The demonstrations were jointly taken out by the MQM-Pakistan, the MQM Bahali Committee, Mohajir Qaumi Movement, and the Pak-Sarzameen Party (PSP).

The Election Commission of Pakistan had refused to delay further the local bodies elections in three divisions of Sindh - Karachi, Hyderabad, and Thatta - and ruled that the second phase of local government polls will be held as per schedule on Jan 15.

The commission rejected the petition of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) wherein the party had urged the election watchdog for the simultaneous “use of two separate electoral rolls in the upcoming elections”.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) threatened to stage sit-in on the opposition benches over delimitations issue. The protest was attended by MQM-P Bahali Committee head Dr Farooq Sattar, PSP Chief Syed Mustafa Kamal, MQM-P leaders Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Faisal Sabzwari, Wasim Akhtar and others.

Addressing the participants of the demonstration, MQM-P chief Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that MQM has paid a heavy political price for this government and can leave it if their reservations were not resolved on an immediate basis.

“We are given two days time to resolve our reservations after that we [MQM] will be free to make our decisions independently,” said Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui while giving warning to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“PM Shahbaz should tell Muhajirs of Karachi and Hyderabad are his people or not,” he added. He lamented that there was no progress on agreement with PPP and the prime minister has formed a committee to look into the matter. Addressing the demonstration, MQM-P Bahali Committee head Dr Farooq Sattar said that MQM factions are staging a protest demonstration over ECP’s impartial attitude.

“ECP has deprived citizens of Karachi and Hyderabad of their basic rights by not doing justice regarding delimitations,” Farooq Sattar said. He called upon the people of Karachi (Muhajirs) to stand up against injustice and get their basic rights.

He further urged workers to create awareness among voters that the party wants free, fair and transparent LG elections which are not possible under the current delimitations.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2023.