The chief election commissioner has dismissed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s concerns against delimitation and pressed ahead on Thursday with the exercise which will change the face of Karachi and the nature of future elections.
After an intense meeting with 13 of 16 invited political parties, the Election Commission gave them a week to submit proposals and draft maps as it begins to redraw the city’s constituency boundaries.
The wheels for this landmark change started turning in October 2011 when the Supreme Court ordered fresh delimitation while hearing a suo motu case prompted by an exceptionally bloody summer. The court was told that Karachi’s constituencies, which are 130 in number, suffered from the stranglehold of ethnically divisive groups. Redrawing the boundaries would help rein in ethnic strife and discourage no-go areas.
The Awami National Party, which has been at the forefront in the demand for fresh delimitation, was mysteriously absent from this crucial meeting.
Sources privy to the proceedings said MQM’s Dr Farooq Sattar opened the discussion by questioning the legality of the exercise. “Delimitation cannot be carried out without first holding a census,” he was quoted as saying. The last census was in 1998 but Karachi’s population has burgeoned since then from nine million to an estimated 20 million. Delimitation takes place after every census but since none have been held, the 2002 and 2008 elections took place based on the 1998 numbers. In 2002 General Musharraf ordered the fresh delimitation of Karachi and its number of seats in the Sindh Assembly went up from 27 to 42.
Without a fresh census now, argued Sattar, this exercise was tantamount to “pre-poll rigging” and he asked why it was limited to Karachi. “Those who are bent on enforcing it should not forget the consequences,” he was quoted as saying in a threatening tone. “We should not forget the [birth of Bangladesh]... a confrontation between ethnicities was behind the move for delimitation in Karachi.”
There was a harsh exchange when Sattar castigated ECP Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan for appearing on a TV show and declaring that the commission would go ahead. Sattar said he was at a loss to understand why the ECP was so “scared” and did not file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s order. “The chapter of delimitation stands closed,” he remarked.
When the MQM leader was informed that Section 10-A of The Delimitation Act empowered the ECP to alter, modify and amend the limits of any constituency, he replied that this part was introduced by a dictator in 1984. The section should not be read in isolation, he said, adding that the act should be seen in its entirety.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim then proposed that the political representatives wishing to endorse Dr Sattar’s views should speak first.
This was met with silence.
The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party played it tactful. Its representative Taj Haider supported the MQM’s stance that delimitation should be undertaken throughout the country but in the same breath he endorsed that the view of the majority should also be respected - an indirect agreement to the plan.
Many of the politicians, including Iqbal Zafar Jhagra of the PML-N, berated the MQM for going against the plan and asked what was the problem with voters in their strongholds being moved from one constituency to another.
Mehmood Khan Achakzai of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party argued that the entire country should not be put at stake to strengthen one particular force. Taking up arms was no solution to problems, he said, referring to violence in Karachi. Squarely placing his party’s support for the plan, he stressed that all institutions, including the SC, ECP and parliament, should be respected.
Justice Ebrahim asked the representatives to give their comments in writing, specifying how the existing boundaries should be modified. In an attempt to make the process credible and free from local interference, the commission has assigned the Punjab election commissioner, Mehboob Anwar, the task of supervising delimitation and the re-verification of voters in Karachi as ordered by the Supreme Court. He is standing in for Sindh’s election commissioner, Sonu Khan Baloch, who was removed a few days ago over allegations of being biased.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2012.
COMMENTS (27)
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Even if ECP is empowered to redraw the constituencies under Delimitation act he must openly cite the reasons and justify his stand on figures and if facts and figures are not readily available then on circumstances to believe it.. Normally constituencies are made/ decided on the population / number of voters and a delimitation normally takes place only when new constituencies are to be added( increase in the numbers of voters). Just . for the sake of convenience of administration and or the electoral process jurisprudence does not allow it to be disturbed/ altered. However convenience of voters may be considered for redrawing the constituencies as perceived by the Election Commissioner.. ( tradition in other democratic countries)
MQM has always resisted in 1- Door to door voter verification 2- Appointment of army at Khi voting stations
Massive amount of rigging on gunpoint is being done in KHI and who benefits from this is clearly shown in past elections.
By resisting against delimitation, MQM is again shrinking to "Muhajir" Qaumi Movement from "Muttahida" Qaumi movement..
To stop voice of majority, never helpful
Why East Pakistan became Bangladesh
Listen to MQM also
@Bilal: Very nice poetry- this is another chance for u to really 'ubhar', i hope ubhar here doesnt mean the mindless killings that happen in Karachi when someone gets 'dabaad'?
@Brasstack CJ is not punjabi, get your facts straight.
Delimitation reminded me of this poetry Har dor mein nahaq hamen sataya gaya ... Hum utna ubhren hein jitna hamen dabaya gaya
Protest!! Protest!! Protest!! We want Muhajiristan!!
I say it is time to rise against injustice. People of Karachi rise and protect your rights.
Singling out one community on the basis of law n order for which they are not responsible is unfair outsiders playing their games they are actually dividing peoples of this cosmopolitan. look at the ethnic background of all parties who are in favour of delimitation without census. how easily we blindly accused one group for all evils is this justified ? no .... no ... no
@Karachi Peace Lover , yes Chief of ECP is a Urdu Speaking and thats why he is so neutral and nobody is questioning him like in the case of Doc Abdul Qadeer .But your CJ is a Punjabi and the Muhajirs have started to abhorr him .
What kind of CJ is he now whien a huge minority with the highest literacy rate detest him ?
This is simply correcting a wrong................so it's not wrong.
This is a conspiracy of punjabis against 'only educated' people and party MQM. We will repeat bangladesh history just let us rig elections it is our basic right also let us do crimes it is our birth right. we are the chosen people don't you know you punjabi supramacist **sarcasm
on a serious note: By the way Cheif of ECP is himself a urdu speaking and very neutral. and we people of karachi are very happy with that decision.
@Kashif Dada: This clause was introduced by Gen. Zia to counter PPP in his era, so in this democracy should this clause be used again?
@ Atif Ejaz, You should correct your facts. In 2002, the delimitation was done in entire Pakistan and not just Karachi. So, if that delimitation should be reversed then it should be reversed in entire country.
Is Chaudhry Iftekhar a panjabi ? I heard he is from quetta .
Could ECP can divided seat?? A big question to be answer...
@Atif Eajz: Please first get correct information, delimitation was done in entire country during Mushi Time, not only in Karachi. Discrimination will make more unrest in city. Looking to See more clashes between communities.
Time for more protest and more disturbance in the city. Unfair decision by SC and now ECP punjab is appointed as intern ECP sindh to do this delimitation which will make more racism in the country.
Al this exercise to curb the power of us in Karachi and the Punajbisation of Karachi by the biased CJ .
it is for peace? i bet 10,000 more people are at risk
@Bilal: Section 10-A of The Delimitation Act empowered the ECP to alter, modify and amend the limits of any constituency.
this was the best part:
Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim then proposed that the political representatives wishing to endorse Dr Sattar’s views should speak first. This was met with silence.
"In 2002 General Musharraf ordered the fresh delimitation of Karachi ......" A dictator carried out delimitation in 2002 - is that acceptable ????
Yes, delimitation is the need of the day, for those who say it should be done on country wide basis; to sir jee "delimitation was done on the orders of musharraf in ONLY KARACHI" not country wide, so this has to be reversed now.
This could very well lead to major strife in an already tense place.
Delimitation without census?is it fair?
The credit must go to SC and ECP.