Daily Times

KARACHI: The Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan, Dr Farooq Sattar has warned the federal establishment for not playing the game with the people of urban Sindh, especially Urdu-speaking community in coming census in the province.

Addressing a large public gathering at Nistar Park here on Friday, he said Karachi has been deprived of its right in different areas from a long time by the rulers and the establishment of the country.

He asked the party men to keep a ‘close eye’ on the coming census in the Sindh province after 8 years so that Karachi would not be victimised. In 1998 census, the population of Karachi was declared 86 million but at that time it was 140 million, he recalled.

The population of the city is more than 100 countries in the world so it’s should be given proper financial resources to run the affairs according to it needs, he added.

In coming elections in 2018, the next Chief Minister will be from MQM, if the correct and honest census will be conducted in the urban cities of the province, he added.

Karachi should be part of mainstream politics as it was destitute of its status for leading country’s politics, Farooq said, adding, “We will restore the status of Karachi and bring our city to the main stream again.”

Without sensing the gravity of the situation, the government conducted operation never realised that the city is accommodating huge influx of population from other parts of the country, he remarked.

Karachi is facing various pressures due to population influx and its resources were reducing day by day, he said, adding, we want to make ownership of everyone in the city.

“If the local government will not be strengthened, Pakistan will not be strong,” he said, adding, the right of Mayor Karachi should be given and proper budget must allocate to carry out development of the city.

He demanded Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB), Building Control Authority, Solid Waste Management Board under the Mayor of Karachi as he (Waseem Akhtar) have the mandate of hundreds of thousand people in local government election.

Before partition there was a 40 percent share of ruling Hindus in the Sindh and all such resources was shared with them according to there share at that time, he pointed out.

“Now we have to give share in employment and financial resources according to that 40 percent formula of Sindh so that we can serve the people of cities in the urban Sindh,” Farooq said.

“Today’s public gathering is referendum of our decision of August 23 when MQM Pakistan formed and part its way from London, he added. We have to move forward and not looking back in the issues of past,” he asked.