KARACHI. (INP) Mutahida Qaumi Movement(Pakistan) moved to the supreme court Monday pointing out shortcomings and defects in the forthcoming housing and population census saying that a conspiracy has been hatched to rig census figures to show less houses and population in major cities and more in rural areas in Sindh.
Talking to media persons here, MQM-Pakistan Chief Dr Farooq Sattar pointed out that less blocks have been defined in the housing census compared to the 1998 census and feared that the purpose is show less housing and ultimately less heads.
He said in the 1998 census, there were 47.65 percent housing blocks in cities while the percentage of rural areas was 52.35. In the forthcoming census, this has been brought down to 45 percent in cities and increased to 55 percent in rural areas. He said the petition appeals the court to order increase in number of blocks for housing and population census.
He said less housing blocks would show less housing and less population whereas the population is increasing in Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas and Sukkur. He said in the last eighteen years, there have been more urbanisation in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur due to floods, economic migration and situation in tribal areas.
Farooq Sattar said they have requested justice as the Census Commission headed by Mr Atif Bajwa failed to respond to their objections. He said the MQM had complained in writing with the census commission but so far no response has been given.
He said the people in urban areas in Sindh including Karachi, Sukkur and Hyderabad have been denied of jobs and admission in educational institutions while their share in development funds is also denied. He said this is increasing sense of deprivation in urban areas among the youth.
