Only half of Hyderabad’s population has been factored in the delimitation process as the district itself has been divided in three separate municipal administration units. The district government on Friday issued the delimitation list of the local government constituencies.
The population is around 1,421,839 based on the 1998 population census. It includes 548,681 in City taluka, 462,678 in Latifabad taluka, 300,639 in Rural taluka and 109,841 in Qasimabad taluka. However, the estimated population of Hyderabad at present stands between 2.5 to 3 million.
The City and Latifabad talukas will be administered through the municipal corporation. The former consists of 50 union committees of between 10,000 to 15,000 population and the latter 44 union committees.
Around 64 per cent the UCs in City and 86 per cent UCs in Latifabad, however, range between 9,000 to 11,000 in population. In Latifabad, the biggest UC in terms of population consists of 12,138 people while the smallest UC in City has 9,000 population.
Similarly, Qasimabad will be administered through the municipal committee having wards as its constituent units. Although population criteria of the ward was set between 4,000 to 5,000, 18 out of 29 wards in Qasimabad range between 2,000 to less than 4,000 people per ward. Only two wards have higher than 5,000 population while the remaining 9 have 4,000 plus residents.
The fourth taluka, Hyderabad Rural, has been further divided in a district council and two town committees for suburban Tando Jam and Husri towns. The council will also have 21 union councils of between 10,000 to 15,000 population. But here again over 50 per cent of UCs are populated by between 10,000 to less than 12,000 people.
Tando Jam town committee comprises 9 wards with 41,901 inhabitants while Hursi has five wards.
Critics say that the Pakistan Peoples Party’s provincial government has divided the district’s administration on ethno-political basis. The areas dominated by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement have been put under the municipal corporation while PPP’s strongholds will function as the municipal committee and the district council in Qasimabad and Hyderabad Rural, respectively.
According to Local Government Director Ameer Bux Junejo, his office has so far received eight complaints from the district. Another 62 complaints have been filed from the other 9 districts in Hyderabad division. Junejo refused to share details of the objection citing workload. The last date for filing objection has been extended to November 2.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2013.
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