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.

There are 15 National Assembly and 29 Sindh Assembly constituencies in the division with over 4,500 polling stations. The Sindh Member of Election Commission of Pakistan Justice (R) Roshan Ali Esani, Regional Election Commissioner Attaur Rehman, Hyderabad Commissioner Riaz Memon, Hyderabad DIG Ranger and officials of army and Rangers were among those who attended the meeting.

An army official reportedly assured the election officials that the citizens will feel the military’s presence in every district. “There will be a quick response force in every district so that we can provide a sense of security to the people,” the official was quoted as saying.

The Hyderabad commissioner told the ECP’s Sindh member that his office lacks the funds required for the election process. “We are being given the same amount which was given to the administration in the 2008 elections.”

Rehman, however, said that the commissioner has been asked to submit a detailed proposal about the election expenditures to the ECP.

Talking to the media after the meeting, Justice (R) Roshan Ali Esani said that he listened to the complaints and demands of the DROs and ROs, assuring that the election commission will try to address them before May 11. He said that the ECP has put in place a mechanism to check bogus voting. “We will cancel the election results of any constituency if we noticed that fake votes have been cast and are affecting the result.”

“It is not possible to hire a public transport vehicle for three days, provide for the fuel and other expenses for Rs3,000 as given by the ECP,” said Riaz Ahmed Memon. “The distance factor, especially in rural areas, also has to be considered.” He told The Express Tribune that a detailed proposal will be sumitted to the ECP officials on Sunday.

A sum of Rs5,000 per polling station for video recording facility and funds for movement of the army were also required.

Armed forces standing guard in Hyd

The armed forces have been deployed for election duties in Sindh starting Saturday. Troops from the garrisons of Hyderabad, Badin, Chor and Petaro were moved to Benazirabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Thatta, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Matiari and Sanghar districts. The process of stationing soldiers will continue over the next few days, according to the ISPR.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2013.

And yet, despite all this, political ideology and party manifestos still play second fiddle to the biradri connections and personality cults in this coastal district.

Direction of the polling winds

The two National Assembly constituencies in Thatta are divided by the Indus River. NA-237, on the right bank of the river, includes the tehsils of Thatta, Mirpur Sakro, Ghora Bari, Keti Bunder and Kharo Chaanh. NA-238, on the left bank of the river, comprises Jati, Mirpir Bathoro, Shahbunder and Sujawwal tehsils.

For over two decades, the district, known as the ‘capital of kings’, was ruled by either Pakistan Peoples Party local leaders or the Sheerazi-Malkani alliance. The latter began to establish their sway after the 1985 non-party elections, and their on-and-off association with the PPP from 1988 to 1997 elections. They strengthened their control to an almost absolute level when they bagged both the National Assembly and four out of the five Sindh Assembly seats in 2002, under the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid banner.

The two sides, again, fought head-on in the 2008 elections, in which the PPP regained one NA and three provincial seats.

A few months ago, the PPP and the Sheerazis attempted to mend differences. The PPP announced that the Sheerazis would be given tickets to one NA seat and three provincial assembly seats. However, the arrangement did not last, and last month, the Sheerazis parted ways with the PPP.

Current scenario

The Sheerazis have fielded Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Sheerazi against PPP’s Sadiq Ali Memon for NA-237. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate Marvi Memon is also in the race. In NA-238, PPP’s Arbab Rameezuddin Memon will face Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi in a one-on-one battle.

While the Sheerazi-Malkani influence has see-sawed in NA-237, NA-238 has been in their grip for the last six general elections.

“The good thing about the Sheerazis is that they stand in good stead with the people in times of need. But, their negative point is their autocratic control,” said a Mirpur Bathoro-based political observer. “One can’t even lodge an FIR at a police station until the SHO gets a nod from them,” said the observer, who didn’t want to be identified in the report.

Previous Election Results

2002

NA-237 (Thatta I)

Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi
Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro

NA-238 (Thatta II)

Muhammad Ali Malkani

Arbab Wazir Ahmed Memon

 

2008

NA-237 (Thatta I)

Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro
Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Sheerazi

NA-238 (Thatta II)

Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Sheerazi

Arbab Wazir Ahmad Memon

It is this very weakness that PPP’s Awais Muzaffar Hashmi is attempting to capitalise upon. Although he is contesting PS-88, he is leading the party’s election campaign in NA-237. “We want to emancipate the people of Thatta from the tyranny of the Sheerazis,” he said.

The situation in NA-237 has also been complicated further by Marvi Memon’s entry. She has not only rejected seats-adjustment with the Sheerazis, but is also contesting PS-88.  “The 10-party alliance is supporting me on both seats. I have great support in the constituency. Why should I withdraw?” she said.

According to Marvi, no efforts are under way for an election alliance with the Sheerazis.

Analysts believe the split of the anti-PPP vote between the Sheerazis and Marvi will ultimately help PPP’s Sadiq. Furthermore, Awais Muzaffar’s heavy campaigning in five tehsils has already seemingly won over dozens of local communities which previously supported the Sheerazis.

On the other hand, the situation in NA-238 seems to be far less complicated. The fight is between two contenders, and most observers agree that the prospects for the Sheerazis are looking rather bright. In what is turning out to be a violent election cycle, both Awais Muzaffar and the Sheerazis have asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to deploy army troops on the election day.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2013.