Karachi's political stakeholders object as census estimates city's population may decrease

An official, center, from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics uses a digital device to collect information from a resident during door-to-door the first ever digital national census in Karachi on March 1, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 12 April 2023
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Karachi's political stakeholders object as census estimates city's population may decrease

  • Political parties have accused PPP-led Sindh government of gerrymandering elections via incorrect population data
  • Census findings estimate Karachi's population may decline from 16,024,894 in 2017 to 14,979,617 in 2023, down 6.5%

KARACHI: Leading political parties in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi on Wednesday expressed doubts over the veracity of an ongoing census whose findings estimate that the megalopolis' population may decrease by 6.5 percent.  

Electoral seats in Pakistan’s parliament as well as funding for basic services like schools and hospitals are assigned using population density data. Pakistan kicked off its first digital census process on March 1, with over 120,000 enumerators using tablets and mobiles to record population data. The South Asian country last held a census in 2017.

The southern port city of Karachi functions as Pakistan's economic hub where the census has always been marred with controversy. The city's prominent political parties, the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have blamed the Sindh government, led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of gerrymandering Karachi's elections by deliberately recording incorrect population data. 

A report by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) issued on April 7, 2023, estimates a potential decrease of 6.52 percent in Karachi's population, from 16,024,894 in 2017 to 14,979,617 in 2023. The report says 90 percent of the census in the city has been completed. 

As far as Pakistan's southern Sindh province is concerned, 95.25 percent of the census has been completed, with enumerators recording its population at 47,584,101 individuals. The overall population of Sindh in 2017 was 47,854,510, and it is expected to rise to 49,955,625.40 after the census is completed in all households, the report says. 

The estimated decrease in Karachi's population by district category is 7.88 percent in District Central, 12.29 percent in District East, 13.32 percent in District South, 0.16 percent in District West, 7.07 percent in District Keamari, and 10.74 percent in District Korangi.

Interestingly, District Malir, considered the PPP's stronghold, is Karachi's only district where the population is expected to increase in this year's census. The estimated population count for Malir in the upcoming census is 2,119,874, which is at least 10.16 percent more than the population recorded in the 2017 census, which was 1,924,346.

"The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will not accept it, God forbid, if the population of Karachi decreases," Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon told Arab News.

Javed Hanif, a provincial lawmaker, and member of the MQM-P’s central coordination committee, said his party could clearly see “malafide intentions” behind the census results in Karachi and its neighboring Hyderabad city. Historically, the MQM-P has held sway over the two cities. 

“There seems to be a malafide intention to deprive Karachi of whatever little it has. Almost 100 percent of the enumerators are employees of the Sindh government who haven’t counted the population of Karachi properly,” Hanif told Arab News. 

The lawmaker said Karachi's population had increased mainly due to two factors: natural growth and internal migration.

“As we had serious reservations over the census of 2017, the results of the ongoing census and estimates are further problematic and incorrect,” he added.

The MQM-P leader said his party had recently met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to discuss the census. “If our concerns are not addressed, we may consider quitting the government as protecting the rights of the people of Karachi is of foremost importance to us,” he added.

Sindh Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani said while the enumerators were indeed Sindh government employees, they are not "in our control" as they are working with the PBS.

“The element of secrecy should be eliminated, and transparency should be brought so that objections raised may be checked and addressed,” Ghani told Arab News.

JI Karachi chief Naeem-ur-Rehman said the enumerators are "untrained and there is issue with [Karachi's] maps." 

"People of Karachi will not accept any more deception in the name of digital census,” he said, calling for the formation of a committee comprising informed stakeholders to rectify the situation. 

Abdul Jabbar Nasir, a senior election reporter, said if the final results show Karachi's population has decreased, a few seats of the national and provincial assembly may be moved from the port city to other parts of Sindh.

“The results of the census will directly impact representation of the city in national and provincial legislatures,” he said.


Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa calls for talks with Afghanistan to address militancy

Updated 12 min 49 sec ago
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Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa calls for talks with Afghanistan to address militancy

  • The provincial administration held a meeting with religious and political leaders to discuss the issue
  • Chief Minister Gandapur says a jirga will be formed for result-oriented negotiations with Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: The administration of Pakistan’s militancy-hit northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Saturday called for government-level negotiations with Afghanistan, announcing that it would constitute a jirga, or a traditional tribal council, to engage with authorities in Kabul, according to an official statement.

The statement followed a consultative meeting convened by the KP administration under the title “National Unity Against Terrorism,” bringing together representatives from various religious and political parties. The discussions come amid a sharp rise in militancy in the region, including suicide bombings, attacks on civilians and security forces and kidnappings of local businessmen and government functionaries.

Pakistan’s top military and political leadership has blamed the surge in violence on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants launching cross-border attacks from Afghanistan, accusing Kabul’s administration of harboring and facilitating them, though the allegation is denied by the Afghan authorities.

The country’s security forces have also conducted intelligence-based operations against militant hideouts in KP and has reportedly launched airstrikes inside Afghanistan to target TTP militants. However, the consultative session in KP called for a more peaceful approach, seeking the government to engage in constructive talks with Afghan authorities.

“The security situation in our province is directly linked to developments in neighboring Afghanistan,” Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said, according to an official statement circulated after the meeting.

“To find a lasting solution to the issue of terrorism in the country, there is a need for government-level negotiations with Afghanistan,” he added.

“A jirga will be formed to hold meaningful and result-oriented negotiations with Afghanistan,” Gandapur said, referring to the traditional tribal assembly system used for conflict resolution and decision-making in Pashtun-majority areas.

KP’s administration is run by former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which has historically advocated negotiations with TTP to resolve militant violence.

The federal government in Islamabad, however, argues that past talks with militants only allowed them to regroup and launch more deadly attacks against Pakistan’s security interests.

Islamabad has repeatedly pressed Kabul to eliminate TTP sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, while the Afghan Taliban have called for dialogue instead of military action.


England opening batsman Ben Duckett fit for Champions Trophy

Updated 5 sec ago
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England opening batsman Ben Duckett fit for Champions Trophy

  • Duckett suffered a problem in his left groin during England’s 142-run loss to India on Wednesday
  • The injury placed a question mark over the 30-year-old’s availability for the Champions Trophy

LONDON: England’s prospects for the Champions Trophy received a boost on Saturday when opening batsman Ben Duckett was passed fit for the one-day international tournament.
Duckett suffered a problem in his left groin during England’s crushing 142-run loss to India in the third ODI in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
His injury placed a question mark over the 30-year-old’s availability for the Champions Trophy, which starts in Pakistan next week and features the eight top-ranked ODI teams qualified from the 2023 50-over World Cup.
But the dashing left-hander has now been given the all clear following a scan, with an England and Wales Cricket Board statement saying: “Scans on a left groin injury have confirmed that England Men’s batter Ben Duckett is fit and available for the ICC Champions Trophy.
“Duckett sustained the injury while fielding during the first innings of England’s third ODI defeat to India in Ahmedabad last Wednesday.”
England are set to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday before they begin their Champions Trophy campaign against oldest rivals Australia in Lahore on Saturday, with all-rounder Jacob Bethell ruled out because of a hamstring injury and replaced by Tom Banton.
Since winning the 2019 World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup, England have struggled in white-ball cricket with Wednesday’s thumping defeat condemning them to a 3-0 series loss against India in what was Test coach Brendon McCullum’s first ODI campaign since he also took charge of the limited-overs side.


Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference

Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference

  • Muhammad Aurangzeb brings up enhanced bilateral trade, investments and collaboration with his counterpart
  • The ministers emphasize the need for continued economic dialogue, increased cooperation through joint initiatives

KARACHI: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Saturday discussed unlocking the full potential of their strategic relationship, as the finance chiefs of both countries met ahead of the Emerging Markets Conference in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, according to an official statement.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb arrived in the Kingdom to attend the two-day conference, which begins on Sunday, at the invitation of his Saudi counterpart Mohammed Al-Jadaan.
The annual economic policy forum is organized by the Saudi finance ministry in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regional office in Riyadh. The event will bring together emerging market finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers, public and private sector leaders, international institutions and academics.
“The meeting [between the two finance chiefs] underscored a shared commitment to build bridges of economic cooperation and advance mutual prosperity,” Pakistan’s finance ministry said in a statement after Aurangzeb’s interaction with Al-Jadaan.
“The discussions highlighted opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade, investments and financial collaboration, with both ministers expressing their dedication to unlocking the full potential of their countries’ strategic partnership,” it added.
Pakistan is navigating a fragile economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF loan program secured in September 2024, after implementing austerity measures and policy reforms to avert a sovereign default in 2023.
To facilitate Pakistan’s economic recovery, Saudi Arabia signed 34 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $2.8 billion last October to boost private sector investment in key areas, including energy, infrastructure and technology.
During their meeting, the two ministers explored avenues for collaboration in infrastructure, energy, technology and finance, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue and joint initiatives to facilitate investment flows and economic opportunities that could benefit the broader region.
According to an earlier statement by Pakistan’s finance ministry, Aurangzeb is scheduled to participate in a high-level panel discussion titled “The Path to Emergent Markets,” hosted by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
The conference will feature nine sessions, with 200 participants and 36 speakers, focusing on economic resilience, financial policies for emerging markets and global economic challenges.
The discussions come at a time when the world economy is facing persistent shocks, trade tensions between major world powers, geopolitical instability and tight financial conditions.
“The conference will provide a unique platform for world leaders to discuss and analyze domestic, regional and global economic conditions and developments and to exchange ideas on solutions to global challenges,” the Pakistani finance ministry added.


Pakistan, Saudi military officials agree to deepen defense and security ties

Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistan, Saudi military officials agree to deepen defense and security ties

  • General Sahir Shamshad Mirza is in Saudi Arabia for the Joint Military Cooperation Committee meeting
  • His discussions with Saudi officials focused on military exchange programs, ongoing training initiatives

KARACHI: Senior Pakistani and Saudi military officials have agreed to further consolidate bilateral defense and security cooperation during their meetings in the Kingdom, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Saturday.
Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza is currently visiting Saudi Arabia to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting.
The Kingdom remains one of Pakistan’s key defense and security allies, with ties encompassing a range of activities, including counterterrorism collaboration.
“Both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation between Armed Forces of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, focusing on mutual exchange programs, training initiatives and other defense-related activities,” the ISPR said.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza reviews the Guard of Honor at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh, as he arrives to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

“The military leadership reaffirmed their commitment for further strengthening existing defense and security cooperation between the two brotherly countries,” it added.
During his visit, General Mirza held meetings with Major General Talal Bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi, Assistant Minister of Defense, and General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff of Saudi Arabia.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza (left) reviews the Guard of Honor at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh, as he arrives to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

Their discussions covered strategic and security issues, the evolving regional environment and bilateral defense collaboration.
The JMCC meeting, which Mirza and Al-Ruwaili co-chaired, serves as a key platform for defense dialogue and coordination between the two nations.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Saudi military officials welcome Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh, as he arrives to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

The ISPR said Saudi military officials praised the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the fight against militancy.
Upon his arrival at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Saudi Arabia, General Mirza was given a Guard of Honor by a smartly turned-out military contingent, reflecting the strong defense ties between the two nations.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Saudi and Pakistani military officials gesture for a group photograph following the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

 


Pakistan’s interior minister calls for global unity against militant violence in meeting with US envoy

Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistan’s interior minister calls for global unity against militant violence in meeting with US envoy

  • Mohsin Naqvi expresses optimism that Pakistan-US ties will strengthen under President Donald Trump
  • His recent meetings with US lawmakers focused on combating militancy, strengthening bilateral ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday described militant violence as an international challenge, calling for global solidarity to combat the threat during a meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker.
Baker assumed the role at the US Embassy in Islamabad in January, following the departure of Ambassador Donald Blome. The position is a temporary appointment, with her responsibilities including engagement with Pakistani officials on bilateral issues until a new envoy is confirmed.
“Terrorism is an international issue, and the global community must work together to address it,” Naqvi said during the meeting.
He also recalled his recent official visit to the United States, which took place earlier this month. The trip focused on bilateral cooperation, counterterrorism strategies and security concerns.
“The meetings with US Congress members were extremely positive,” the minister said. “Discussions focused on developing a joint strategy to combat terrorism and further strengthening bilateral relations.”
Pakistan and the US have historically cooperated on counterterrorism efforts, with both sides benefiting from intelligence-sharing support.
More recently, the US has repeatedly expressed support for Pakistan’s security concerns, particularly as Islamabad blames rising militant violence on cross-border attacks from Afghanistan — an allegation denied by authorities in Kabul.
Naqvi expressed optimism that Pakistan-US relations would strengthen under President Donald Trump’s administration.
He also invited Baker to attend Islamabad’s upcoming spring festival celebrations.