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


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%
Updated 12 April 2023
NAIMAT KHAN

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.

Topics: Pakistan Karachi census

Pakistani forces kill 6 militants in volatile northwest near Afghanistan— army

Updated 12 sec ago
AP
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Pakistani forces kill 6 militants in volatile northwest near Afghanistan— army

  • Pakistani security forces carry out twin raids in Dera Ismail Khan, North Waziristan districts
  • Such operations are often conducted against Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan group
Updated 12 sec ago
AP

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Pakistani security forces killed six militants in twin raids Wednesday targeting their hideouts in the country’s volatile northwest region bordering Afghanistan, the military said.

Five militants were killed in the first raid in Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said in a statement. It did not provide further details about the slain insurgents, and only said the men were behind various previous attacks on the security forces.

Another militant was killed in the second raid in a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban in the North Waziristan district in the northwest.

The statement did not provide any further details about the identity of the slain men.

Such operations often target the Pakistani Taliban, which has been emboldened by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, it is a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban.

Topics: Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan hikes electricity prices by Rs2.83 per unit citing fuel cost adjustment

Updated 46 min 57 sec ago
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Pakistan hikes electricity prices by Rs2.83 per unit citing fuel cost adjustment

  • Fuel cost adjustment for March to reflect in consumers’ bills for the month of May, says power regulator
  • Pakistan has been caught in a high inflationary cycle since April 2022 due to surging food and fuel prices
Updated 46 min 57 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Wednesday authorized distribution companies to levy a Rs2.83 per unit additional charge on consumers’ bills for May, with the move likely to fuel inflation in a country already suffering an economic crisis. 

A notification by NEPRA seen by Arab News stated that the fuel cost adjustment pertains to March, adding that the additional charges would apply to all consumer categories except “Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) and lifeline consumers.”

“The said adjustment shall be shown separately in consumers’ bills on the basis of units billed to the consumer in the month of March 2024,” the notification said. 

Pakistan has been caught in a high inflationary spiral since April 2022, with the highest-ever inflation rate recorded at 38 percent in May 2023. The government credits soaring inflation to painful decisions it had to take to meet conditions for an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program, including hiking energy tariffs and fuel prices.

Gas and electricity rates were hiked by 318.7 percent and 73 percent respectively in a year, according to official data.

The price hikes come as Pakistan is set to begin discussions with the IMF this month over a new multi-billion-dollar loan agreement after completing its nine-month, $3 billion loan arrangement with the lender. 

Under the last IMF bailout, Pakistan was told to prevent further accumulation of circular debt in its power sector, arising from subsidies and unpaid bills. For a new program, the South Asian nation will need to implement reforms to reduce costs by improving electricity transmission and distribution, moving captive power into the grid, improving governance, and combating theft. 

It will also have to maintain power and gas tariffs at levels that ensure cost recovery, with adjustments made to safeguard the financially vulnerable, through existing progressive tariff structures.
 

Topics: Pakistan Electricity bill in Pakistan

Senior World Bank official concludes Pakistan trip, reaffirms support for economic stability

Updated 08 May 2024
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Senior World Bank official concludes Pakistan trip, reaffirms support for economic stability

  • World Bank Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser meets PM Sharif, key officials in Islamabad
  • Raiser praises Pakistan’s reform plans to boost growth, attract private investment and tackle poverty
Updated 08 May 2024
KHURSHID AHMED   

KARACHI: A senior World Bank official concluded his three-day visit to Pakistan on Wednesday, reaffirming the international institution’s support for the country’s economic stabilization after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and key government officials in Islamabad. 

World Bank Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser arrived in the federal capital on May 6, with his visit taking place as Pakistan faces a chronic balance of payment crisis, forcing it to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new long-term bailout deal. 

Pakistan has faced the challenges of revenue generation and government expenditure in the past and struggled with high levels of debt, a large fiscal deficit and an ongoing need for structural reforms to improve its fiscal sustainability.

“The World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser, concluded his three-day visit to Pakistan today and reaffirmed the World Bank’s support to stabilize the economy and accelerate inclusive and resilient growth,” a press release by the international institution read. 

It said Raiser met Sharif, ministers of finance, water, power, energy, and petroleum, and his counterparts to discuss Pakistan’s development priorities. 

“The discussions focused on economic and fiscal reforms, human capital development, adaptation to climate change, energy sector reforms, and digitalization as a foundational enabler and accelerator of development,” the World Bank added. \

Raiser said he was pleased to learn of Pakistan’s reform plans to boost growth and attract private investment, strengthen climate resilience, and invest in human capital to tackle daunting challenges such as child stunting and poverty. 

The World Bank official also visited Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province to meet Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. 

“Discussions focused on the provincial developmental priorities and how can the World Bank step up its support in key sectors, like education, water and sanitation, health, rural roads, and livelihoods,” the statement said. 

He also attended a national conference on education in Islamabad, where PM Sharif also spoke. Raiser reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to urgent action to tackle the large number of out-of-school children in Pakistan.

Topics: World Bank Pakistan

PM Sharif declares ‘education emergency’ across Pakistan to enroll out-of-school children

Updated 08 May 2024
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PM Sharif declares ‘education emergency’ across Pakistan to enroll out-of-school children

  • Pakistan has one of the world’s highest out-of-school children population at 26.2 million 
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif says will personally oversee the national program to ensure its success
Updated 08 May 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday declared an “education emergency” across Pakistan on Wednesday, vowing to personally oversee the program which he hoped would enroll over 26.2 million out-of-school children in educational institutions. 

Pakistan has the second-highest population of out-of-school children in the world at 26.2 million, according to Unicef Pakistan. Pakistani experts have identified population growth, lack of localized strategies, and economic issues as the main reasons why over 26 million Pakistani children are not enrolled in schools across the country. 

A report by Pakistan’s education ministry in January revealed that out of 26.2 million out-of-school children, 11.73 million are in Punjab, 7.63 million in Sindh, 3.63 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and 3.13 million in Balochistan province.

Speaking at an event titled “National Conference on Education Emergency,” Sharif said enrolling millions of children back into schools was a “tall order” that could be achieved with conviction. 

“I declare from this moment an emergency in education all over Pakistan,” Sharif told members of the conference, which included federal ministers, parliamentarians, vice-chancellors, and diplomats. 

The Pakistani prime minister said he would personally oversee the national program, adding that he would meet the chief ministers of all four provinces in the country for the sake of Pakistani children and their future. 

“This is about our children and our future,” Sharif said. “This is a very challenging task, no doubt. But nations which had faced difficulties and defeat in the past arose from the ashes of defeat.”

He hoped provincial governments in Pakistan would help the center in achieving its goal of promoting education in the country and transforming it into an educated nation. 

“I guarantee, if we move in unison to find our space, Pakistan will become one of the most educated societies one day soon,” he remarked. 
 

Topics: out of school children in Pakistan Pakistan Education Arab News Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan’s first lunar satellite ICUBE-Q successfully enters moon’s orbit 

Updated 08 May 2024
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Pakistan’s first lunar satellite ICUBE-Q successfully enters moon’s orbit 

  • ICUBE-Q was deployed in moon’s orbit around 1:14 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time, says Institute of Space technology official 
  • IST official describes development as “important” one for Pakistan allowing it to conduct “bigger” space missions in future
Updated 08 May 2024
Shahjahan Khurram

Islamabad: Pakistan’s first lunar satellite ICUBE-Q entered the moon’s orbit successfully today, Wednesday, a senior official of the country’s Institute of Space Technology (IST) confirmed, saying the “important” development could pave the way for “bigger” space missions for the country in the future.

The ICUBE-Qamar satellite carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface and weighs around 7kg. Cubesats are tiny box-shaped satellites that are mainly launched into low Earth orbit to observe the Earth, test new communications technology, or perform miniature experiments.

Pakistan’s first lunar satellite was launched aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe on May 3. The Chinese probe is tasked with landing on the far side of the moon, which perpetually faces away from the Earth, after which it will retrieve and return samples. China is the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.

“Our ICUBE-Q was deployed successfully in its orbit at 1:14 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time,” Dr. Khurram Khurshid, the head of the electrical engineering and computer science department at IST and a co-lead on the satellite project, told Arab News.

Dr. Khurshid said Pakistani officials will continue to test the satellite’s system for the next three to four days. He said initial tests revealed there were no complications with the cubesat’s system. 

The IST official said the development means Pakistan is officially in an exclusive club of countries that have conducted deep space missions. 

“This is the first step, a step in the right direction,” Dr. Khurshid noted. “It can lead to bigger space missions, such as landing on the moon or various other experiments.”

Dr. Khurshid said Pakistan would be able to share images from the satellite by May 15. 

Around 100 students from IST contributed to developing the satellite. Pakistan’s proposal to build the satellite was accepted by the China National Space Agency (CNSA) from plans submitted by eight member states of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO). 

The design, development, and qualification of the ICUBE-Q satellite were spearheaded by faculty members and students of the IST in collaboration with China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), with support from Pakistan’s National Space Agency, SUPARCO.

The ICUBE-Q has two cameras as payload for taking images of the lunar surface that will be transmitted back to Earth for analysis. 
 

Topics: ICUBE-Qamar ICUBE-Q Pakistan lunar satellite

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