Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that the dishonesty of the ruling regime, not technology, is the basis of flaws in the census.
“The census is once again going to be held on a de jure [lawful but regardless of facts] basis instead of the internationally recognised de facto [factual] system,” said Rehman.
He held the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), the two ruling parties in the federal government, responsible for the situation, and blamed the Pakistan People Party (PPP), Sindh’s ruling party, of playing a supportive role.
“The government was using the pretext of technology, manpower and fieldwork as a shield to hide their anti-Karachi policies and mindset,” said the JI city chief.
He said that the ruling regime had used the same tactics to rig the census with the help of the National Database & Registration Authority (Nadra), and the same technique was being employed to once again deprive Karachi of its mandate.
He reiterated the demand of his party that a fresh census be held under the de facto system to count the actual population of the megalopolis.
Rehman said that the MQM-P has been playing the role of a puppet in the hands of the forces who want to keep Karachi in the current situation.
“The PPP is also playing a dual role when it comes to the census. The party issues statements but doesn’t take a practical step, as in the case of a just census,” he said.
Karachi will have its deserving share in the Centre as well as resources, he said, adding that in that case, the feudal mindset of the PPP will be facing an upset.
He demanded that the government hold the census as per an internationally recognised system to restore the faith of the masses in the process of the headcount.
A few days earlier, addressing a news conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, Rehman had said that under the de facto formula for the census, a headcount is carried out as per the current address of the people in a city, while under the de jure method, people are counted as per their permanent address mentioned on their CNICs.
“The last flawed census was the main obstacle in mitigating the problems of Karachi,” he said. He added that the well-informed people in the city had not accepted the flawed results, and any further step in the same direction will be resisted by the people.
He demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan announce the date for the local government elections, and hold direct polls for the mayor of the city.
Rehman also demanded a comprehensive master plan for Karachi that would cater to the needs of the city for the next 50 years. He said that immediate restoration of the water supply and sewerage system, the transportation system and other civic facilities for the city are the needs of the hour.