Easy win: PPP likely to sweep polls in NA-258 today

MQM, PTI have withdrawn their candidates for the by-election

KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is likely to win the by-election in the Malir-based NA-258 constituency today (Monday). The election was earlier scheduled on November 24, but given the security situation, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed the polls.

The seat was vacated by former Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz MNA Hakeem Baloch, who resigned from the party and joined the PPP. He is said to be a strong candidate as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) withdrew their candidates and the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz could not put anyone forward to contest the poll.

According to the ECP, they have now made all the arrangements to hold free and fair elections in the constituency.

"We have given magisterial powers to the Rangers, police and presiding officers," provincial election commissioner Tanveer Zaki told The Express Tribune. The government has already declared a holiday in the district, with strict security measures to be observed around the polling stations. "There are total 287 polling stations and only one polling station is safe," said an official in the ECP. The remaining polling stations are either sensitive or most sensitive.

According to Zaki, Rangers will be deployed inside and outside the polling stations and the army has been asked to remain on alert to avert any untoward incident. "Ten different monitoring teams, comprising ECP officials, have also been constituted to keep vigil at the situation," he said, adding that the presiding officers and Rangers can use their magisterial powers to punish those who violate the code of conduct of the by-election.

The district returning officer said that around 408,613 voters will cast their vote, of which 166,821 voters are women. Around 287 presiding officers will perform duty and 982 booths have been set up in various polling stations.

The MQM had given its party ticket to Mumtaz Ali Umrani and PTI nominated Mohammad Bangash but both the parties decided not to contest the election.

According to ECP statistics, Baloch has been the winning candidate from this constituency since 1988, seemingly because he enjoys the support of both the Baloch and Sindhi communities, who dominate the constituency.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2016.