KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said fresh delimitation of constituencies would be carved out in Karachi and other districts of the province for the coming general elections.
“The present delimitations in Karachi and other districts Sindh are defective and unrealistic and were carved out purely on political basis. Therefore, in principle the next elections should be held on the basis of fresh delimitations but not at the cost of postponement of general election,” he said while addressing a programme organized by Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) at their auditorium hall.
He said that the present constituencies carved out during the tenure of former president general (retd) Pervez Musharraf were made purely on political grounds. The objective was to keep the Pakistan Peoples Party out of power and favour to his favorites, he added.
Earlier, in the KCCI programme it was pointed out that the delimitation in Karachi were unrealistic and unreasonable. On this he said that not only in Karachi but all over Sindh a game was played to make constituencies in such a way so that their favourites could return.
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Quoting his personal experience, the chief minister said that he belonged to Taluka Sehwan- but his constituency of provincial assembly was carved out in such a way that it stretched up over three talukas.
“I filed an appeal and contested in the courts and finally my constituency came in the jurisdiction of two talukas, instead of one taluka,” he said and added even then PPP defeated Musharraf –sponsored party.
Murad Ali Shah said that the next general elections should be held on the basis of fresh delimitations for which exercise may be started as soon as possible. “We want fresh delimitations but not at the cost of postponement of elections,” he clarified.
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Census result should be made credible by satisfying people: Sindh CM
Talking about census he said that his stance was the same he has been repeating in the media. “My demand was very simple that the census staff must give a copy of the form in which they were recording the data of a family,” he said but the Statistics department had termed it a secret document.
“It is quite absurd that my data in which details of my family were recorded was being kept secret from me,” he expressed his surprise and added that these were the issues which have raised eyebrows of the citizens who believe in transparency.
He emphasized on the need of satisfying the government, the people and the civil society to make the census results acceptable. “I would urge Statistics Division to take necessary measures to make the work you have done credible,” he said.
