Protesting against the alleged discrepancies in the 2017 census results, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Sunday staged a political show of power in Karachi.

MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, while addressing a gathering in Liaquatabad area of the metropolis, outright rejected the results of the 2017 census, claiming that the federal government purposely reduced the numbers of Karachiites in papers to usurp the rights of the citizens.

The census results have placed the population of Karachi at around 15 million people, however, the "figure of 15 million only depicts the female population of the city," Sattar said.

He demanded that the government reconduct the census.

"Our representation has been slashed to half, this will affect our development projects and the already thin amount of resources at our disposal will be further reduced," he maintained.

"Today they have reduced our population, tomorrow they will reduce our water quota as well," feared Dr Sattar.

Through the rigged results of the census, names of eight million MQM voters have been erased, he alleged.

Talking about the party leaders and workers who have switched their loyalties, Sattar said that all of them along with several others will rejoin MQM if the party was provided a level playing field.

We will vote for the bill on delimitations if we are guaranteed the safety of our rights, he said after expressing his reservations that the results of the census will also affect delimitations.

Karachi is a city of at least 30 million individuals, he claimed, adding that the party was demanding the rights of the citizens on the bases of the population of Karachi.

He warned that if their demands regarding census were not met, they will demand resources and seats on the basis of revenue generated in Karachi.