MQM-P demands polls under new census

KARACHI: After the approval of new census, no law permits holding elections without new voter lists. Senior Deputy Convener Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Dr Farooq Sattar said this in a press conference on Sunday. He said the MQM-P wanted the general elections as soon as possible so that the new government could focus on resolving public issues.

In the past elections, fake representation was imposed on Karachi, he remarked, adding the city needed elections urgently and elections must be fair, transparent and impartial.

Dr Sattar said that currently, there was a crisis of morality in Pakistan more than the economic crisis. The situation triggered by electricity bills had begun nurturing crime on Karachi’s streets. He said the country was heading towards anarchy at a fast pace. The payment of electricity bills had gone beyond the reach of lower classes. Due to the inflation, even the middle class had been pushed away from accessing electricity. The use of electricity was not taxed in most countries, he claimed.

Sattar said there was a growing inclination towards resistance among the people and if these conditions persisted, several states within the state could emerge. “If the IMF continues to dictate terms, we will suffer more. No single political party can solve Karachi’s issues.”

Speaking at the press conference, MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that protests against hike in electricity bills might transform into chaos, which was a matter of concern.

The situation regarding the electricity crisis is dire and severe throughout Pakistan. In Karachi, the situation appeared to be more critical than in other regions of Pakistan, he said. He said the MQM-P would hold a protest against hike in electricity bills as the middle class was unable to pay their bills. At the pace electricity bills were increasing, it appeared that a major crisis was impending, he said.

He demanded the prime minister take steps to resolve this issue. He said that if there was no reduction in electricity prices, the MQM-P would be forced to take to the streets for public’s interest.

He said the responsibility of providing relief to citizens was in the hands of the government. Loadshedding of 12 hours was going on in Hyderabad and traders in Karachi and Hyderabad had announced a protest, he added.