Census a conspiracy to change Sindh’s demography: Ayaz Palijo

A new census is supposed to be carried out in 10 years after the previous census, but this time a census is being held after five years under a conspiracy.

Qaumi Awami Tehreek President Ayaz Latif Palijo said this on Saturday as he addressed a conference in connection with the upcoming first ever digital census at the Arts Council of Pakistan. The conference was organised by the Sindhi Association of North America (SANA).

Rejecting the decision to hold a new census, he said the purpose of holding the census before time was settlement of illegal immigrants in Sindh.

The Federal Bureau of Statistics was no more an autonomous body, he said, adding that the bureau was under pressure.

Palijo maintained that a conspiracy had been hatched up to change the demographics of the province by counting illegal immigrants in the population.

He was of the view that the post-flood situation in the province would not ensure correct counting of the people. As many as 20 million people had been displaced from their villages due to the floods, he said and asked how such displaced people would be counted.

The QAT president said the purpose of holding the census was to increase seats of particular groups in legislature, and the process would turn the natives of the province into a minority.

The census should not take place before rehabilitation of the flood victims and eviction of illegal immigrants, he said. Others also spoke on the occasion.