MQM, PPP win Karachi, Naushehro Feroze by-polls

Voter turnout remains extremely low in all three constituencies

KARACHI/SUKKUR: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) won by-elections on two seats in Karachi and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured the seat in Naushehro Feroze by-polls, unofficial results on Thursday showed.

Voter turnout remained extremely low in all three constituencies in the two cities because of high temperatures.



MQM is reported to have retaken PS-106 and PS-117 seats in Karachi, with minimal voter turnouts in the two constituencies -- 11.32 and just 9 per cent, respectively.

According to unofficial results, Mahfooz Yar Khan of MQM bagged 18,137 votes in PS-106, while PPP’s Sardar Abdul Samad received just 960 votes and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Nusrat Anwar secured 524 votes.

In PS-117, MQM’s Syed Muhammad Qamar Abbas secured 10,738 votes against Ali Raz of Islami Tehreek Pakistan’s 1,018 votes, while PTI’s Rafaqat Umar got just 950 votes.

Candidate of Pakistan People’s Party Dr Abdul Sattar Rajpar defeated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Arif Mustafa Jatoi by a large margin of slightly over 6,560 votes in by-elections held at PS-22 in Naushahro Feroze on Thursday.



According to unofficial results announced by the presiding officer, PPP candidate Dr Abdul Sattar Rajpar received 35,380 votes, while his opponent Arif Mustafa Jatoi of PML-N got 28,820 votes. Unofficial results were announced for all 98 polling stations.

Total number of voters in the constituency is 135,567. Of the total polling stations, 56 were declared sensitive and 23 most sensitive, but overall process remained peaceful, except for some minor scuffles between PPP and PML-N supporters.

Voter turnout, however, remained low because of extremely hot weather. Reports suggested it was around 25 percent.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2016.