At least three vehicles – including two cars belonging to PTI leaders – were reportedly burnt. However, the party’s leaders survived the attacks.

Usman Kennedy, the PTI candidate for PS-45 (Hyderabad-III), was attacked by unidentified men outside his house in Heerabad Town. Kennedy blamed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for the attack.

“Dozens of MQM workers pelted my car with stones … When I went outside, they beat me as well,” Kennedy told The Express Tribune, adding that his family came to his rescue. The attackers also fired gunshots outside his residence and later set his car on fire, he added.

Kennedy is an elderly politician who resigned from Pakistan Peoples Party last year after a four-decade-long association with the party.

Separately, unidentified men also attacked the house of another PTI leader, Mustansir Billah, in the Latifabad neighbourhood. Billah said his car was also set on fire by the attackers. Unknown assailants opened indiscriminate fire at the residence of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan politician Waris Ali Ansari as well.

In Mirpurkhas, unidentified men opened fire at the residence of Irfan Mehboob Jilani, the PTI candidate for PS-64 (Mirpurkhas-I). According to Jilani, three to four dozen men, many of them armed, attacked his house. “They tore PTI’s banners and posters of Imran Khan as well,” he added.

PTI banners and posters were also ripped apart in other parts of Mirpurkhas.

The election in PS-64 was postponed following the death of an independent candidate before May 11. The constituency will elect its representative for the provincial assembly in a by-election later.

Despite this series of attacks on the PTI and JUP leaders no FIR has been lodged against the attackers.

Kennedy said he wanted to go to the police station but was prevented by the police. “I wanted to address a press conference but deferred it till tomorrow due to the tense situation in the city.”

Meanwhile, Sindhi nationalist leaders have condemned the killing of Zahra Hussain. Qaumi Awami Tehreek president Ayaz Palijo demanded the government arrest the killers and expose their identities.

The chairman Sindh Taraqi Pasand, Dr Qadir Magsi also condemned her killing. “During the last five years of the PPP-MQM government, Karachi has witnessed killings of political opponents and journalists at the hands of a party which claims the fake mandate of the city,” said Magsi.

“Zahra’s murder is a message to all those who want a democratic change that they will be killed if they dare,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2013.

According to police, three assailants intercepted 65-year-old Hussain as she stepped out off her car outside her house in Karachi’s DHA Phase-IV area.

“The suspects attempted to snatch her purse… they shot her after she put up resistance,” said SP Clifton Division Nasir Aftab, quoting the slain PTI leader’s driver. The suspects fled the scene following the incident, he added.

Hussain’s family immediately rushed her to a nearby private hospital.

“She received a single bullet to her chin which pierced her neck. She succumbed to her injuries during treatment,” a doctor at the health facility told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity. Hussain’s body was later moved to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for legal formalities.

Party leaders confirmed Hussain’s death.

Targeted killing or mugging?

By the time this report was filed, police were still unclear about the motive behind Hussain’s murder. “Nothing could be said about the nature of the incident … whether it’s an act of targeted killing or a robbery bid gone awry… till the investigation is complete,” said SP Aftab.

Condemnation

In a statement condemning the incident, PTI chairman Imran Khan held Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain and the British government directly responsible for murder of Zahra Shahid Hussain.

“He [Altaf] openly threatened PTI workers and leaders through public broadcasts… Unfortunately, the British Government did nothing to stop his calls to violence,” Khan maintained.

“I am totally shocked and deeply saddened and still cannot believe anyone would kill such a gentle lady,” he added.

PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif was also quick to condemn the incident.

“Strongly condemn the target killing of Mrs Zahra Hussain! Culprits should be apprehended and punished ASAP – this cannot be allowed to go on,” he said on Twitter.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the PTI Media Coordinator Nasir Jamal lashed out at government authorities for failing to provide adequate protection to his party’s leaders and workers in Karachi.

Meanwhile, PML-N leader Salim Zia, who visited the hospital, demanded an independent investigation into the incident by a judge.

Re-polling in NA-250 today

Re-polling in 43 polling stations of NA-250 (Karachi-XII) will take place today (Sunday), amid tight security provided by police, Rangers and army personnel. However, very few political parties will be contesting these re-polls, as the JI declared a boycott on May 11th, while the MQM announced on Friday that they would boycott the re-polls. On Saturday night, the PPP also joined the boycott bandwagon, leaving the field clear for the PTI.

Talking to The Express Tribune on Saturday, Sindh Election Commissioner SM Tariq Qadri said that strict security measures have been taken to avert any attempts at rigging or any other untoward incident.

“I assure voters and candidates that there will be no mismanagement on our part, and free and fair elections will be held in the constituency,” he maintained, adding, “the polls will start at 8am and continue till 5pm without any break.”

Qadri said following concerns by leaders of political parties regarding the credentials of election staff, the Election Commission has appointed new presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers for the re-polls.

“Apart from the district returning officer and returning officers, the entire election staff has been changed,” he said, adding that the colours of the ballots had been switched this time around as well.

“For Sunday’s polls, white ballot paper will be used for the National Assembly seat and green ballot paper will be used for provincial assembly seats… For the May 11 elections, green ballots were used for National and white for provincial assembly seats.”

Qadri maintained the ballot boxes for the re-polls had already been prepared and transported to respective polling stations under the supervision of the armed forces. According to both Army and ECP sources, soldiers will be deployed inside the polling stations.

Re-polls in Tharparkar

ECP has also announced re-polls in 47 polling stations of two National Assembly constituencies in Tharparkar.

According to the official ECP notification on Sunday, the re-polls will be carried out in four polling stations of NA-229 (Tharparkar –I) and 43 polling stations of NA-230 (Tharparkar –II) and its corresponding Sindh Assembly constituencies – PS-62 ((Tharparkar –III) and PS-63 (Tharparkar –IV). The re-polls have been scheduled for June 1.

The commission had earlier decided to withhold the results of NA-229, NA-230, PS-62 and PS-63 following violence and allegations of widespread rigging in the constituencies. The ballot papers of more than 40 polling stations were set ablaze and a worker of a political party was killed during the violence on Election Day.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2013.

The lawmakers were welcomed by PML-N’s Punjab President Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday at the Sharif residence in Raiwind. The inductees met party president Nawaz Sharif as well.

Speaking to the media after meeting the independent candidates, Shahbaz Sharif said that despite attaining a simple majority in Punjab and the Centre, PML-N would still take other parties as allies and establish a government ‘which would be a true representative of the federation’.

The eight MNAs who joined the party include Sardar Khalid Magsi and Dostum Domki from Balochistan. The other MNAs who were inducted into PML-N on Wednesday were Chaudhry Ejaz, Khusro Bakhtiar, Sahibzada Nazir Sultan, Najaf Sial, Raza Hayat Hiraj and Liaqat Abbas Bhatti,

The 11 MPAs, meanwhile, were Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan – who won one of his provincial assembly seats as an independent candidate – Zeeshan Gurmani, Rai Usman Kharal, Syed Shoaib Ali Shah, Aish Bahadur Mekan, Abbas Sial, Faisal Farooq, Akbar Hayat Hiraj, Azam Cheela, Hassan Jahan Gardezi and Tariq Mehmood Bajwa.

According to PML-N officials, MNA Sardar Awais Leghari and MPA Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari will join the party along with their panel today (Thursday).

PML-N has also approached the Sherazis of Thatta and the Arbabs of Tharparkar to join their party in order to gain on National Assembly and five Sindh Assembly seats.

According to sources, PML-N leaders Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal and Rana Mashhood met Sherazis in Karachi to convey Nawaz Sharif’s message and invite them to Raiwind. Reportedly, the Sherazis sought time to consult their local political allies, especially the Malkani family.

Meanwhile, the Arbabs of Tharparkar are mulling whether to join PML-N or Pakistan Peoples Party.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2013.

HYDERABAD: Protests erupted across Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisions on Monday with all the political parties crying foul against rigging during Saturday’s polls.

Former Sindh culture minister Sassui Palijo, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate from PS-85 (Thatta), led a sit-in in Gharo and accused the influential Sherazis of tampering with the results. PPP has won three of the seven seats in the district, including one by Owaiz Muzaffar. The remaining four were claimed by the Sherazis.

“I have won from the constituency but the election results were changed late at night in the returning officer’s office,” claimed Sassui, adding that she will challenge the results before the election tribunal.

A shutter down strike was observed in Mithi and Diplo in Tharparkar district on PPP’s call. Although the party made history by defeating the influential Arbabs on NA-229, workers were unhappy about PS-60 in Mithi, which was won by Arbab Ghulam Rahim and accused him of using unfair means.

In Hyderabad, the PPP organised a protest near Fateh Chowk against alleged Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of rigging on NA-219 and PS-49. A truck was set ablaze during the protest.

Hyderabad also saw a strike by Ayaz Latif Palijo’s Qaumi Awami Tehreek in Qasimabad and rural tehsils. Ayaz, contesting from PS-47, accused PPP’s Jam Khan Shoro of rigging in his constituency, the only seat in Hyderabad whose results have not been announced.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) called a strike in Kunri tehsil of Umerkot district from where PPP has won all three seats. PML-F leader Muhammad Ali Shah Jamote, Razzak Memon and Nazeer Rahu led the blockade of the National Highway in Matiari district and condemned the alleged rigging by the Makhdooms. The Makhdooms have won the lone NA seat and both provincial seats from the district. In Tando Allahyar, the PML-Nawaz leaders gave a strike call for today (Tuesday) against the PPP.  PML-N’s Dr Irfan Gul Magsi said he would submit the proof of rigging before the tribunal.

Benazirabad saw another day of protests as the MQM laid to rest its two workers killed in a clash with PPP supporters. In Tando Muhammad Khan, the PML-F demanded re-election on PS-53. The seat has been won by PPP’s Syed Aijaz Shah Bukhari.

PML-N’s candidate from Jamshoro, Malik Changez, also demanded re-election and accused Malik Asad Sikander, PPP candidate from NA-231, of helping out his party man Fakirdad Khoso.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.

HYDERABAD: The members of the 10-party Alliance, who were confident that they would break Pakistan Peoples Party’s vote bank in Sindh, will likely have a hard time saving face from their tall claims as the progressive results broadly suggest that the jiyalas will continue to rule Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisions.

Not only has PPP managed to win its earlier seats but also added more to its tally. Marred by internecine disagreements, the 10-party alliance seems  to have been restricted to their traditional areas.

The two divisions have 23 National Assembly and 51 Sindh Assembly constituencies, out of which PPP had won 16 NA and 36 PS seats in 2008. According to the unofficial results of the 2013 elections, however, the party might have secured 17 NA and 38 PS seats. The results from three PS constituencies in Tharparkar, which the party hopes to win, have yet to be confirmed.

The party’s towering figures, such as Makhdoom Ameen Fahim, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Syed Navid Qamar and Dr Azra Fazal Pecheho, have retained their seats according to the unofficial results. Similarly, the candidates who made their election debut – President Asif Zardari’s foster brother Owais Muzaffar, former Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon and son of former Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazhar, Pir Majeebul Haq – have also seemingly won.

The only upset that the PPP might have to face is the defeat of its former culture minister, Sassui Palijo, on PS-85 in Thatta.

Victory predictions

The Pakistan Muslim League-Functional of the influential Arbab family of Tharparkar had voluntarily withdrawn on NA-230 Tharparkar in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi but according to the unofficial figures, they will likely face defeat in NA-229 by PPP’s candidate.

The progressive results from Thar put the PPP candidates ahead of the Arbabs on three PS seats. Arbab Ghulam Rahim, however, has been declared the unofficial winner  of PS-60.

Pakistan Peoples Party was also expected to confront tough opponents in at least six NA constituencies in Matiari, Dadu, Thatta, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot but it appears that it has managed to secure enough votes to be crowned as victors – with candidates of Pakistan Muslim League Functional and Nawaz trailing behind.

Accusations and conflicts

The PPP-Parlimentarians’ chairperson, Makhdoom Ameen Fahim, whose family has maintained their electoral invincibility in Matiari-based NA-218 since the 1962 polls, witnessed a neck-to-neck competition with the first-timer Razzak Memon of PML-F. Memon, who secured an unprecedented 72,266 votes against Makhdoom, leveled serious charges of allegations against the obvious winner.

“The Makhdooms cast fake votes in a large number of polling stations. The Election Commission of Pakistan should verify each vote with the help of thumb impressions,” he demanded at a press conference on Sunday.

PPP also had its share of accusation to throw around – Shazia Marri accused PML-F’s Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi of winning by unfair means in NA-235 Sanghar.

The PPP’s predicted win in many constituencies was also aided by the internal conflicts among the candidates of the 10-party alliance. In Dadu, Jamshoro, Tando Allahyar and Badin, the alliance’s candidates contested against each other causing a split among the voters. A seat adjustment in Thatta between the alliance and Sherazis could also have helped secure more seats.

The PTI’s only potential candidate in the two divisions, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, appears to have won NA-230 in Thar but has probably lost Umerkot-based NA-228 to the traditional winner, Nawab Yousuf Talpur of the PPP. Talpur secured 97,967 votes while Qureshi got 84,574 votes, according to the unofficial results released till the filing of this report.

RO postpones announcing results

The returning officer of NA-229 Tharparkar, Sohail Jabbar Malik, has deferred the announcement of the election results due to incidents of rigging in the area.

“Ballot papers from 43 polling stations were stolen after the polling process ended in the constituency,” said Malik. “I have received 26 written complaints from the presiding officers and others from the candidates,” he said, adding that he had forwarded the complaints to the election commission. “It’s now up to the election commission to decide whether to announce the results or suspend them.” There was strong competition between candidates of Pakistan Peoples Party and the Arbab family in NA-229, PS-60 and PS-61, in Mithi and Diplo tehsils. A man was killed and ballot papers in six polling stations were set on fire on Saturday.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.

HYDERABAD: The PPP candidate for PS-50 in Hyderabad, former Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon allegedly assaulted the polling staff in the polling number 217.

The Presiding Officer of the polling station, Sabir Ali Rajput, told The Express Tribune that Memon strangulated and then dragged to the floor the Assistant Presiding Officer Ali Nawaz Nizamani.

When asked why he did not use his powers of magistrate to arrest Memon who barged in the polling station, Rajput said “We fear a backlash from Memon.”

He said that he brought the matter to the knowledge of the Returning Officer.

He added that polling was suspended for over 30 minutes but due to large numbers of people queuing up to vote, they resumed polling.

Memon could not be contacted for his version.

HYDERABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUP) has boycotted elections on National and Sindh assembly seats in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Speaking at a hurried press conference in Hyderabad, JUP president and candidate for NA-220, Sahibzada Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair alleged that a political party had hijacked polling stations in City and Latifabad tehsils in the district.

Zubair said polling agents of JUP and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) were being harassed and a large number of them were forced to leave the polling stations.

HYDERABAD: Benazirabad district – Two persons have been killed after a clash between the supporters of two political parties. The incident happened in Taj Colony’s Government Primary School polling station in PS-24 and NA-213 constituency in Benazirabad. A supporter of MQM, Irfan Malik, was killed early in the morning while an 11-year-old boy, Naveed Malik, later succumbed to injuries at the hospital. Naveed also sustained gunshots.

In reaction the people pelted the PPP supporters with stones. PPP’s district general secretary Imdad Dhamrah was injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, the police arrested a worker of a banned outfit with weapons in the polling station at Government High School Line Park in NA-213 and PS-24.

Sanghar district – The supporters of PPP and PML-F clashed in at least six polling stations in Sinjhoro town based in PS-79 constituency. The polling process was stopped for over 2 hours when the army took control of the polling stations 153, 154, 155, 156, Sindhi Primary School and Government Girls Higher Secondary School. PPP alleges that PML-F has kept all of their polling agents hostage.

Unknown assailants fired shots at the convoy of the PPP candidate in PS-79 Chaudhry Asim Talia but he escaped unhurt.

Matiari district – NA-218, polling number 72 and 73, the polling agents of two parties fought. SHO Manzoor Pathan arrested PML-F candidate Razzak Memon for NA-218 and his chief agent. Both of them were later released after half an hour.

Hyderabad district – The guards of MQM’s candidate for NA-220 Syed Waseem Hussain were arrested by Rangers because they entered the Khan Bahadur School polling station with guns.

JI spokesman Hassan Rashid said two polling agents of the JI, Sibghatullah and Waqar Allan, were forced to leave the NA-219′s polling station number 80 at Government High School Latifabad Unit 7.

The MQM spokesman alleged that the PPP workers harassed the party’s polling agents in the women polling station at Director Schools Office, Heerabad. Humera Noor, Rida and another polling agent of MQM were harassed and voter lists were taken away.

Seven workers of the 10-party alliance’s candidate for PS-47, Ayaz Latif Palijo, were injured in an attack at Kirar Solangi polling station. Palijo told The Express Tribune that the workers of PPP had attacked his supporters. The clash suspended the polling for an hour. The process restored when the army took control of the polling.

HYDERABAD: In the realm of electoral politics, Sindh has widely been considered PPP’s stronghold. This impression is, for the most part, based on fact. After all, the party of the Bhuttos has largely represented the province for four decades.

However, even in this region, there are some constituencies where the Bhutto appeal has completely failed to work. Poll after poll, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has been defeated by the likes of insurmountable rivals – MQM, PML-F and the Arbabs.

These ‘unusual’ constituencies are in the Hyderabad, Sanghar and Tharparkar districts of the Hyderbabad and Mirpurkhas divisions.

Authority of an Arbab

In Tharparkar, the influential Arbab family has maintained its clout since the 1985 polls, when Arbab Amir Hassan was elected as an MNA. From 1990 onwards, the family has been headed by Arbab Ghulam Rahim, former chief minister of Sindh.

The district has two NA and four provincial seats. In the last seven elections, PPP only managed to secure one seat and that, too, when Rahim joined the party in 1993. In 2002 and 2008, the Arbab group won all the seats on the National Alliance and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) platforms, respectively.

This time around, the Arbabs have withdrawn their NA-230 candidate in favour of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairperson Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Furthermore, they are facing tough competition from PPP’s Faqir Sher Muhammad Shah on NA-230.

“People used to vote for the Arbabs out of fear, not love. They know that only the PPP can liberate them from their tyranny,” said Qaim Ali Shah, PPP’s provincial president at a public meeting in Thar. On this occasion, the Lanjhar community of Mithi, Thakkars and representatives from 84 villages, all of who supported the Arbabs in the past, announced joining the PPP.

According to sources close to the Arbabs, Qureshi will give up NA-230 after winning the elections and Razzak Rahimon will then contest by-polls. Qureshi enjoys a considerable following, due to his Sarwari Jammat.

MQM’s domain

The politics of Hyderabad are dominated by the ethnic vote – Sindhis always vote for the PPP and the Urdu-speaking vote for the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM). The district has three NA and six provincial seats. Of these, NA-219 and NS-220, based in Latifabad and City tehsils, have a large Urdu-speaking population.

The PPP has never won NA-220. Even the 1993 polls, which were boycotted by the MQM, a PML-N candidate defeated the PPP ticket holder. Since the party was founded in 1988, the MQM has only lost once, and that to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Sahibzada Muhammad Zubair in 2002.

PPP vs Pagara

Sanghar comprises six tehsils. Of these, Sanghar, Jam Nawaz Ali, Khipro, and Sinjhoro are the heartland of the Hurr Jamaat of Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi, popularly known as Pir Pagara. Since 1970, the PPP has not won a single election in these areas.

Furthermore, PPP candidates have only twice been elected in the remaining two tehsils, Shahdadpur and Tando Adam: from NA-181 in 1988 and NA-236 in 2008.

According to analysts, the PPP will retain its NA-236 seat in the upcoming elections. However, the situation in NA-235 may change, where PPP’s former information minister Shazia Atta Marri is all set to take on PML-F’s Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi.

Observers say that it is likely to be an interesting match, as Marri is the daughter of PML-N’s late Atta Muhammad Marri, twice-elected MNA, while Rashdi is the son of the late Pir Pagaro.

Sources say that Marri has been campaigning daily. Conversely, Rashdi has only visited the area once since the electoral battle began.

“PPP has carried out development works in the area during the last five years,” said Marri. “The PML-F couldn’t do that in the four decades of their rule.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2013.

HYDERABAD: The past hostilities between the Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement have started resurfacing again as the day of election draws closer – the PPP candidates have accused the MQM of having set the ground for rigging the polls.

At a press conference on Sunday, the candidates contesting from the National Assembly and Sindh Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad alleged that more than 30 polling stations have been changed to favour the MQM. “We have repeatedly complained to the District Returning Officer, judge Hassan Feroze, but he is behaving like MQM’s advocate or worker,” said Zahid Bhurgari, the former provincial minister and PPP’s district president.

They also complained that the police officers who were caught filling ballot boxes for MQM in the 2008 elections have been posted again to rig the elections. “We do not trust the Hyderabad police. The ECP should deploy Rangers inside the polling stations and the army outside them.”

Bhurgari said that the postings of DSP Ayub Durrani and SHOs Rao Nazim, Salman Farooqi, Wahid Bux and Tariq Khanzada in Hyderabad have been done in violation of the recent Supreme Court judgment. The court had ordered the police officers to be posted outside the districts of their domicile.

There are three NA and six PS seats in Hyderabad. Historically, the constituencies dominated by Urdu-speaking people vote for the MQM candidates while the PPP candidates are elected from the ones with a majority of Sindhis. However, there have been exceptions when the MQM lost some constituencies to the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal in 2002.

PPP’s candidate from Qasimabad-based PS-47 constituency, Jam Khan Shoro, has reportedly submitted a written complaint twice to the DRO, alleging that 14 polling stations in his area have been changed to give advantage to the MQM. “The scale of rigging is such that two polling stations of PS-47 have been set up in the areas under PS-45 constituency – which is an MQM stronghold,” said Shoro. He added that one of these stations will be established in the Paretabad government hospital which is in PS-45. “The election code says that a polling station should be within two kilometres radius of the voters. But the ones in my area have been set up as far as three to eight kilometres away.”

The comeback

The MQM’s Deputy Convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui strongly rebutted the allegations against his party. “Our central leadership had decided that we will sort out our matters without making them public. But they [PPP candidates] are violating the understanding,” he told The Express Tribune, claiming that no PPP candidate has ever approached them with these complaints. Siddiqui said they should rather protest against the caretaker government which is responsible for all the transfers and postings. “We neither demand nor opposed the removal of DRO from Hyderabad,” he replied when asked about his party’s stance over the PPP’s demand. He lamented that these public complaints against the MQM by the former coalition partner were ‘sad and unfortunate’. “We [MQM] have been the target of terrorism – instead of campaigning we are burying our martyred workers.”

The PPP, however, was not alone in charging the MQM with trying to rig the polls. Similar complaints came from the candidates of the 10-party alliance. The former MNA Sahibzada Muhammad Zubair, who is a candidate from from NA-220, accused the party of harassing his workers.

The alliance’s PS-47 candidate, Ayaz Palijo, also claimed that the polling stations of his constituency have been changed to favour the MQM. But he describes the turf war between the PPP and MQM as ‘phoney’. “They always try to win the hate vote against each other – the PPP from Sindhis and MQM from Urdu-speaking people. They have resorted to the same theatrics as before.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2013.