KARACHI: Describing the ‘flaws’ in the ongoing census surrounded by ‘controversies’ as an attempt to divide Sindh on ethnic and rural-urban grounds, the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) on Thursday warned that the flaws could lead to “bloodshed and instability” in the country if they were not fixed and removed before completion of the headcount exercise.

The opposition party also accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of “playing a criminal role” in the ongoing exercise only for “greed of power”.

Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi, Dr Safdar Abbasi and other leaders of the GDA — an umbrella organisation of different political parties representing opposition — met at Functional League House here to discuss the political situation in the country, the census controversy and the current economic meltdown amid skyrocketing inflation and growing miseries of a common man.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, GDA leaders warned both the federal and the provincial governments that their alliance would resist any attempt to divide Sindh and demanded that the controversial census that was being carried out with biased approach and flawed design should be stopped immediately.

Vows to resist any attempt to divide Sindh

“Let me make it very clear that we won’t let Sindh to divide,” said GDA chief coordinator Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi who was accompanying senior leadership of the alliance.

“If any such attempt is made, there will be bloodshed and it will affect every segment of the country. The people of Sindh are united in every corner of the province and their patriotism is the actual guarantor of Pakistan’s integrity and security.”

Those who are hatching a conspiracy against Sindh’s unity through this census are actually conspiring against Pakistan.”

Mr Shah rejected the impression that his alliance was against any fair count of urban areas, saying that Karachi was the economic engine of the country and he would never accept any injustice with the metropolis.

“Karachi is jewel of our crown. We only demand fair and honest count. We cannot tolerate any injustice with any district, village or town.

We are for strong federation, strong institutions and strong Pakistan. We are here for peace, love and harmony not for hatred or ethnic divide,” added Mr Shah.

PPP accused of having sold out Sindh

GDA general secretary Dr Safdar Abbasi strongly criticised the PPP which, he said, had “sold out” Sindh in its greed of power and was now playing a ‘criminal’ role in the flawed census that would deprive people of this second largest province of their rights and due share in resources.

“From coastal belt of Karachi to deserts of Thar, the PPP has sold out everything but still it appears to be hungry and can do anything for its greed,” he said.

“I wonder how the PPP is supporting this federal government on this flawed census. They [PPP leaders] once called this parliament selected, but now they are sitting in the same parliament and giving legitimacy to every move that is aimed at dividing Sindh. But this would never happen.”

He also referred to a ‘dangerous game’ being played in Karachi amid the ongoing census based on ethnic hatred and misconceptions.

The ruling PPP, he said, had deliberately opted for a silence amid the conspiracy because the “politics of divide has let it enjoy the power for consecutive 15 years”.

Jamaat-i-Islami criticised

He questioned the role of the Jamaat-i-Islami and accused it of spreading hatred while opposing the census exercise.

“Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman [the Karachi chief of JI] shouldn’t have taken this line and we find it very alarming and unfortunate,” said Dr Abbasi.

“It would only trigger hatred and ethnic divide. We expect every patriotic individual and those political parties who believe in federation and national unity to stay united under the Constitution of Pakistan. That’s what we want. The ruling elite have ruined every single institution and now they want to divide people of Pakistan on ethnic grounds.”

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023