Daily Times

Elusive local government elections are in sight now thanks to the pressure of the judiciary. However, in the process, political threats are being hurled by the MQM chief, creating ripples in the country. The MQM is upset because of re-demarcation of the constituencies by the Sindh government. So, do not take the huffing and puffing about the division of Sindh seriously as it is just an election ploy. In any elections re-demarcation of constituencies is usually the first move to achieve favourable results by those in power. The PPP has done that precisely; its leaders were screaming hoarse when, during the Musharraf era, the MQM was the establishment’s darling and managed to get the constituencies carved out as it suited them to win the election. This time it is role reversal.

The MQM had it carved out well to gain favour in the elections. While Karachi was merged into one megapolis, Hyderabad was divided into three districts. This gave the MQM clean seats as Sindhi speaking areas were separated from the Urdu speaking Hyderabad city. The MQM leaders claim that, this time, the PPP has tried to stretch the constituencies where Mohajir votes were in overwhelming majority by including areas that have other ethnic populations also. And, at the same time, it has carved out constituencies that are non-Mohajir.

Before the elections, the candidates use all the tricks in the bag to choose their voters by having their constituency tailored to their desire. We may see more of this at the national level once the belated population census is held sooner or later. However, the fact remains that in democracies census has to be held every 10 years (ours is being done after 15 years) and constituencies have to be re-demarcated accordingly to match the demographic changes.

Ongoing violent ethnic conflict in the city also happens to secure constituencies. The ANP has been saying that their Pakhtun population is close to six million, which means almost 30 percent of the 18 million strong Karachi population — if the MQM’s estimates are accepted.

The present tussle between the two parties is mainly a prelude to the forthcoming local bodies and general elections. That looks like the most probable reason. Like all major cities in the world, Karachi has been going through a constant phase of linguistic demographic changes. The city, according to international figures, has a total population of 15.7 million people and ranks as the 13th biggest city in the world. Although, if one extrapolates its 1998 population as reported by the census and on the basis of official 3.5 percent growth rate, it should be around 15 million. However, the MQM maintains that the city’s population is much larger. How they calculate this higher figure is not known.

According to the 1998 survey, the demographic linguistic break-up is as follows: Urdu speaking 48.52 percent, Punjabi 13.64 percent, Pushto 11.96 percent, Sindhi just 7.34 percent, Balochi 4.34 percent, Sariaki 2.11 percent and the rest 12.09 percent. The rest includes Gujrati and other languages. On the basis of extrapolation of the 1998 census, it can be concluded that the Pakhtun population ratio should not be more than 14 to 15 percent in Karachi. The number of Pakhtuns living in Karachi is registered as voters in Pakhtunkhwa or in the tribal areas.

Until the issue of census, voters’ list and constituencies re-demarcation is not settled, Karachiites will remain on tenterhooks as more violence cannot be ruled out. The MQM and other opposition parties went to court challenging the PPP government’s re-demarcation of constituencies and the court ruled in their favour. Now this is the first election where aspiring candidates have filed their nomination without being sure about the remit of their constituency. It is doubtful that elections will be held on 18th January in this uncertain situation.

The other issue is of scrapping the 2001 local government scheme. No doubt, the local government system given by Musharraf had some shortcomings but that could have been improved. However, all the provincial governments have reverted back to the colonial commissionerate system. The most positive part of the 2002 local bodies system was that it had put the local government servants under the elected representatives, undoing the colonial bureaucracy Raj. The PPP could have managed to redraw constituencies without reverting to a system that is bureaucratic in nature and is against the principle of separation of the judiciary and executive.

Such thoughtless actions for short-term gains show poverty of serious thinking in all the parties. There is hardly a political party with formidable think tanks; the top leadership believes that they know it all. Hence, we have seen all the ruling parties from the inception of Pakistan making political blunders without any exception.

This system was opposed from day one by the bureaucracy, MNAs and MPAs as they could not tolerate sharing power with mostly middle class elected representatives at the local government level. These politicians have now restored the system that will enable them to interfere with the local governments’ day-to-day work as the bureaucracy will now be accountable to the provincial government. Here the MQM is right in opposing the commissionerate system.

The argument given by one important PPP leader was that they wanted to do away with the local government system given by a military dictator. Now this is nonsense. Instead, they reverted back to General Ziaul Haq’s 1979 local government system and the 1861 colonial police act. They forgot that while bringing in the mega 18th amendment to the constitution, the parliamentarians sagaciously kept some of the positive reforms brought in by Musharraf — for instance, abolition of separate electorate and reserving more seats for women.

The fault lies on both sides of the present divide. The PPP has hastened to change the laws curtailing local government powers and introducing the oppressive police act. The MQM is at fault in not accepting the fact that re-demarcation of constituencies is inevitable and the city representation has to be shared with other ethnic communities living in Karachi.

No ethnic community should claim that it has the exclusive right to rule any city. Cosmopolitan cities like Karachi belong to all and their representation at the local, provincial and national level has to reflect the demographic mix. This is essential when the melting pot of mega cities has not yet integrated all the ethnic communities into one.

The writer is author of What’s wrong with Pakistan? He can be reached ayazbabar@gmail.com