KARACHI – A large number of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists are being trained along with government employees for the first phase of the upcoming census, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources within the Sindh Education Department told Pakistan Today that a large number of political workers from the MQM are being imparted training for the census in the guise of “community helpers.”
Spokesperson of the Sindh government and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-Sindh Secretary-General Taj Haider told Pakistan Today that the matter had been brought to their knowledge but the government was braced for such a situation. “We were expecting such kinds of things to happen,” he said.
“Political workers getting training with government employees is against the law, but all this is going on because of Karachi District Coordination Officer (DCO) Mohammad Hussain Syed,” Haider alleged, adding that the neither will the government allow this nor will it let the census become politicised. He said that an explanation will be sought from the DCO.
MQM Rabita Committee member Waseem Aftab denied any such practice was going on, asking instead for a rationale behind MQM workers receiving training for the census. “Employees of the Sindh Education Department are being trained for the census, and I am not sure on what ground Haider has confirmed this news,” Aftab said.
On the other hand, DCO Syed told Pakistan Today claimed his innocence and said there was no government policy to impart training to workers from any political party. “I don’t know whether anyone is receiving training. I have summoned a meeting in this regard on Monday (today). It will be the first-ever meeting about the census in Karachi, and will be attended by the assistant census commissioner. I can only respond properly after I get details in the meeting,” he said.
