The MQM-P on Friday reiterated its demand for holding the upcoming general elections under a new census as well as fresh voters’ lists.
A meeting of the ruling coalition parties was held, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in which MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui participated using the online app, Zoom.
MQM-P sources said a clear stand was taken by their party’s convener during the meeting.
During the huddle, Siddiqui said his party wanted the results of the new census to be announced as soon as possible.
He added that fresh constituencies should be demarcated as per the new census and the general elections should be held under them.
According to the sources, Siddiqui requested the prime minister to instruct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to start working on fresh constituencies as per the new census results.
He continued that there was no problem if the general elections were postponed by two or three weeks.
The MQM-P convener informed the premier that his party wanted the general elections to be held on the basis of the new census, fresh constituencies and “correct” voters lists.
Siddiqui said his party would stick to its stance no matter what.
He reminded the participants of the meeting that the MQM-P had boycotted the recent local government elections instead of compromising over its principles.
The sources said the MQM-P had been assured by the government that it would take every possible step to address the party's grievances.
The MQM-P maintains that Karachi’s population has been undercounted in the new census.
A week earlier, the premier, during his visit to Karachi. had assured the party that its concerns in connection with the general elections being held on the new census would be addressed.
However, on August 1, the prime minister said in a TV interview that the elections would be held according to the new digital census.
The premier’s statement perturbed the MQM-P, which had already dismissed the digital census.
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