CEC vows to go ahead with delimitation in Karachi

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (r) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim on Thursday said the task of drawing up new constituency boundaries in Karachi would be completed in the light of Supreme Court’s orders despite reservations of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
On the other hand, MQM expressed serious concern over the move, saying the delimitation was unfair, unconstitutional and synonymous to pre-poll rigging. Talking to reporters on Thursday outside the ECP, MQM’s Farooq Sattar said delimitation in Karachi was a conspiracy to stage a conflict between various communities living in the metropolis.
“Why is Karachi being singled out for delimitation? If it’s necessary for free and fair elections, we demand new constituencies across the country,” the MQM lawmaker said. “There is no need for delimitation in Karachi alone,” he added. Sattar said that MQM had challenged the delimitation process in the city, adding that new census was necessary for delimitation. He said the move would be worst for peace in the city.
He said the ECP was working on the delimitation issue against the written stance and retracting from its stance due to pressure. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said his party supported new delimitation in Karachi.
Talking to reporters, Jhagra said the development would be beneficial for all citizens of Karachi. He said all political parties must support and stand by the Supreme Court and ECP decision of new delimitation in Karachi.
The PML-N leader said the process of new delimitation in Karachi should be completed before the general elections so that it could not be used as an excuse to delay the polls.
Earlier, CEC Ebrahim chaired a consultative ECP meeting that reviewed issues of dual nationalities, correction of electoral rolls as well as delimitation of constituencies in Karachi in light of SC judgment.
In the meeting, representatives of 15 political parties, including the PPP, PML-N, PML-Q, MQM, JI, Sunni Tehreek, JUI-F, JUP and PTI discussed various important administrative matters pertaining to upcoming general election.
MQM’s Farooq Sattar gave vent to party’s reservations over delimitations before the ECP meeting.
In reply to MQM’s objections, CEC Ebrahim said measures were being taken for delimitation in Karachi as ordered by the apex court.