Batman!

#!/usr/bin/perl --
use strict; use warnings;
use CGI; use URI;
print join "\n",
        CGI->new( { @$_ } )->query_string,
        Yo( @$_ ),
        Yuri( @$_ ),
        , "\n"
        foreach
            [qw( name John number 7 status unknown )],
            [qw( a >&< q ];[ arf =&= )]; 
exit 0;
sub Yuri {
    use URI;
    my $u = URI->new;
    $u->query_form( @_ ); 
    $u->query ;
}
sub Yo {
    use CGI;
#~     use CGI qw/ -oldstyle_urls /;
    local $CGI::USE_PARAM_SEMICOLONS=0;
    my $q = CGI->new; 
    for( my $i = 0; $i < @_; $i +=2 ){
        $q->param( $_[$i], $_[$i+1] );
    }
    $q->query_string;
}
__END__
number=7;status=unknown;name=John
name=John&number=7&status=unknown
name=John&number=7&status=unknown

a=%3E%26%3C;q=%5D%3B%5B;arf=%3D%26%3D
a=%3E%26%3C&q=%5D%3B%5B&arf=%3D%26%3D
a=%3E%26%3C&q=%5D%3B%5B&arf=%3D%26%3D
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