The upcoming local body elections in Karachi are likely to see competition between well-known political rivals as they will compete not only against each other but also against other local candidates. News reported on Wednesday.
The second stage of Local Government (LG) Elections Karachi is scheduled to take place on January 15 (Sunday) after a month’s delay due to the flood situation in the province.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rahman, who is contesting from UC 8 (Al-Falah, North Nazimabad), is contested by Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P)’s Akbar Masood, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. It will be from Akbar Masood. Abubakar Siddique of e-Insaf (PTI) and Sahibzada Khan of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The constituency holds significance for Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi as its leader is the party’s projected mayoral candidate for the city. However, he lost this seat to the unpopular MQMP. Competitor In the previous LG elections.
Ashraf Jabbar Qureshi, one of the founding members of PTI, is contesting from two union councils of North Nazimabad Town: UC 1 (Papoosh Colony) and UC 6 (Khumosh Colony).
In UC 1, he will face Jamaat-e-Islami’s Muhammad Nadeem, PPP’s Javed Mureed Bakk and MQMP’s Saleem Muhammad. In UC 6, Muhammad Iqbal of Jamaat-e-Islami, Rizwanuddin of MQMP and Faisal Shaikh of PPP may give him a tough time. He has already lost eight times in by-elections to provincial and national assembly seats.
Syed Najmi Alam of the People’s Party in Sadar Town, who is expected to be the mayor or deputy mayor candidate, is in the running for vice chairman from UC-12. He is also contesting from UC-11.
He will compete in the provincial assembly with PTI’s parliamentary party leader Khurram Sher Zaman, who was also elected MPA from Sadar Town.
Jamaat-e-Islami has given ticket to Muaz Liaquat, who was earlier associated with Jamiat-e-Islami. In UC 11 and UC 12, the People’s Party has allied with Tehreek Awam Ahlesunnat.
PTI’s Firdous Shamim Naqvi is contesting from UC 2 (Soldier Bazar). Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen (MWM) has withdrawn its panel in favor of Naqvi. According to a written agreement between the two parties, if Naqvi wins, MWM councilor will be replaced.
Pak Sarzameen Party (PPP) did not field any heavyweight candidate. However, they believe that if they get sufficient number of seats, they will field a suitable candidate in certain seats. MQMP has also adopted the same strategy. The last mayor of the party Wasim Akhtar was elected from Lions area in the last LG elections.
The People’s Party has fielded Malik Fayyaz in Lyari and he is the expected candidate for the chairmanship of the town council.
He will face the candidates of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and PTI. The PPP will apparently take advantage of the rift within the PTI, and later defector MNA Shakur Shad will also support the PPP.
Second step
gave Election Commission of Pakistan The (ECP) had told the Sindh government that the second phase of local body elections in Karachi and Hyderabad would be held on July 24, 2022, but then postponed them due to torrential rains and consequent floods in the province.
The electoral body rescheduled the LG polls for August 28, but they were again postponed for the same reason.
The commission had said that most of the polling stations were inaccessible to voters.
On 18 October, the ECP rescheduled the polls for 23 October, but the provincial government demanded that they be postponed by three months as it deployed police in flood-hit areas, causing them to Polling stations had failed to provide the required level of security. .
After repeated delays, the PTI and JI approached the Sindh High Court, which on November 15 directed the ECP to announce the date of the local body polls within 15 days.
On November 22, the ECP announced January 15 as the new date.