Thumping victory: Ejaz Faruqi elected as Arts Council president

Faruqi is on the same panel as outgoing president Ahmed Shah

KARACHI: The Ahmed Shah-Ejaz Faruqi Panel reclaimed most governing body seats in the annual Arts Council elections that were held on Sunday evening.

Its main opponent, the Shehr-e-Quaid Panel, secured only two seats. Ejaz Faruqi bagged 1,530 votes to regain the office of president, according to the results announced by election commissioner Dr Saifur Rehman. Faruqi’s opponent, Khalil Ahmed Nanitalwala, secured 1,172 votes. Prof Sehar Bukhari was elected vice-president with 1,530 votes, Ahmad Shah was elected secretary with 1,455 votes, Dr Huma Mir was elected joint secretary with 1,582 votes and Shehnaz Siddiqui was elected treasurer with 1,337 votes.

The voting that started at 3pm on Sunday after a general body’s meeting continued well until 11pm. Nearly 8,000 council members were eligible to vote.

A few women voters were seen in the huge crowd of male voters who had gathered at the council since morning.

The Shehr-e-Quaid Panel of Khalil Ahmed Nanitalwala and the Ahmed Shah-Ejaz Faruqi Panel were the major contestants, along with a few independent candidates. Officials of the commissioner’s office monitored the polling in two large tents.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2014.