Who won the PS-114 seat – the PPP or Saeed Ghani?
PPP’s by-election victory might not have been due to its own performance
Revellers celebrate the PPP’s win in PS-114. The party campaigned extensively for the seat. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
In a first, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won the PS-114 by-election on Sunday, where its candidate Senator Saeed Ghani emerged victorious. The constituency was previously represented by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N).
The win was due to the PPP’s hold in the area with state machinery at its disposal during the campaign, the division in the ranks of the MQM or Ghani’s own personal influence that won the hearts and votes of the people.
“Look at the overflowing gutter in front of you. We have always voted for MQM and PML-N candidates in this constituency. They have done nothing for us,” said Dr Rashida, a resident of Defence View. “My entire family came out in support of Ghani as he seems to be different than others. We have given him a chance this time around.”
Voters in PS-114 come out en masse for by-election
During previous elections, the PPP’s victories have been confined to its stronghold in Chanesar Goth. According to unofficial results, Ghani bagged 23,797 votes, while Kamran Tessori of the MQM-Pakistan secured 18,000. PML-N’s Ali Akbar Gujjar secured 7,175 votes while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Najeeb Haroon secured only 5,942 votes.
The defeat was not only of the PTI but also of Irfanullah Marwat, who won the seat a number of times but after his recent disqualification lent his support to Haroon.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said Ghani’s victory is a manifestation of the confidence of people of different faiths, communities, income brackets and ethnicity in the PPP because it is the party of the poor and downtrodden.
PS-114 by-poll violence: PPP, PTI trade allegations on Twitter
Independent observers believe that transparency in the polls and the choice of candidate played a significant role in the outcome. “Ghani’s runners-up were unknown in the constituency. They were imported by rival parties because of their financial influence as they could bear the election expenses,” said journalist and analyst Shujauddin Qureshi. “Ghani is local who still lives in the Sindhi-dominated Chansesar Goth. His father was killed in Karachi in 1995 and had worked extensively in the area. The people know they are not controversial, so these are the contributing factors behind Ghani’s victory,” he said. The analyst added that Ghani belongs to a middle-class family and served twice as a union council chairman of the area before the party nominated him in the Senate.
During a visit to constituency, the general attitude suggested that it was not the PPP’s performance that pulled in votes for the party; it was the selection of candidate. However, some disagreed with this, saying the PPP only won due to the provincial government’s position. “State machinery was used by initiating pre-poll rigging. Local influential people who always matter in [swaying public opinion] were bribed,” claimed Tessori. “During the election campaign, the PPP candidate influenced voters in different areas by starting development work such as patchwork on the roads, providing potable water, lifting garbage and distributing zakat forms. These were all cosmetic measures merely to win the polls,” he alleged.
The by-election in PS-114 was being dubbed a test case that could influence the results of the upcoming general election. Despite campaigns that drew the attention and support of almost all major political party leaders, such as Imran Khan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Farooq Sattar, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Aitzaz Ahsan and even Shaikh Rashid, the turnout at the polls was a mere 30%.
27 candidates to contest PS-114 by-polls
According to Election Commission of Pakistan records, in the last general election, Marwat won the by-election by securing 37,130 votes against MQM’s Rauf Siddiqui who secured 30,305 votes.
“The transparency of the election process is another factor, but people used to rig the polls, now situation was different,” former provincial election commissioner Sono Khan Baloch said, referring to NADRA’s report submitted to election commission tribunal that it could verify only 10,007 votes of the total 92,748 votes polled in PS-114 in 2013.
Despite the fact that their party lost the seat, many MQM-Pakistan leaders are happy that they secured at least 18,000 votes in the area. The party’s situation is precarious, as it disowned founder Altaf Hussain, had asked voters to boycott the by-election.
“We are thankful to the people of Mehmoodabad who have given us 18,000 votes. It is an embarrassment for those who asked our voters to remain confined to their houses and not vote for our candidate,” said a senior MQM-Pakistan leader, referring to Altaf and Pak Sarzameen Party chief Mustafa Kamal’s advice to the Muhajir community.
Campaigning gone wrong: PPP takes over road ahead of Bilawal's address in Karachi
The PPP is now celebrating its victory and the Sindh government is considering allotting the labour department portfolio to Ghani soon. According to him, he will try to make it a permanent seat for the party. It is yet to be seen whether he lives up to his pledge of interacting with his voters or follows the status quo and shuns them after achieving his goal.
In a first, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won the PS-114 by-election on Sunday, where its candidate Senator Saeed Ghani emerged victorious. The constituency was previously represented by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N).
The win was due to the PPP’s hold in the area with state machinery at its disposal during the campaign, the division in the ranks of the MQM or Ghani’s own personal influence that won the hearts and votes of the people.
“Look at the overflowing gutter in front of you. We have always voted for MQM and PML-N candidates in this constituency. They have done nothing for us,” said Dr Rashida, a resident of Defence View. “My entire family came out in support of Ghani as he seems to be different than others. We have given him a chance this time around.”
Voters in PS-114 come out en masse for by-election
During previous elections, the PPP’s victories have been confined to its stronghold in Chanesar Goth. According to unofficial results, Ghani bagged 23,797 votes, while Kamran Tessori of the MQM-Pakistan secured 18,000. PML-N’s Ali Akbar Gujjar secured 7,175 votes while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Najeeb Haroon secured only 5,942 votes.
The defeat was not only of the PTI but also of Irfanullah Marwat, who won the seat a number of times but after his recent disqualification lent his support to Haroon.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said Ghani’s victory is a manifestation of the confidence of people of different faiths, communities, income brackets and ethnicity in the PPP because it is the party of the poor and downtrodden.
PS-114 by-poll violence: PPP, PTI trade allegations on Twitter
Independent observers believe that transparency in the polls and the choice of candidate played a significant role in the outcome. “Ghani’s runners-up were unknown in the constituency. They were imported by rival parties because of their financial influence as they could bear the election expenses,” said journalist and analyst Shujauddin Qureshi. “Ghani is local who still lives in the Sindhi-dominated Chansesar Goth. His father was killed in Karachi in 1995 and had worked extensively in the area. The people know they are not controversial, so these are the contributing factors behind Ghani’s victory,” he said. The analyst added that Ghani belongs to a middle-class family and served twice as a union council chairman of the area before the party nominated him in the Senate.
During a visit to constituency, the general attitude suggested that it was not the PPP’s performance that pulled in votes for the party; it was the selection of candidate. However, some disagreed with this, saying the PPP only won due to the provincial government’s position. “State machinery was used by initiating pre-poll rigging. Local influential people who always matter in [swaying public opinion] were bribed,” claimed Tessori. “During the election campaign, the PPP candidate influenced voters in different areas by starting development work such as patchwork on the roads, providing potable water, lifting garbage and distributing zakat forms. These were all cosmetic measures merely to win the polls,” he alleged.
The by-election in PS-114 was being dubbed a test case that could influence the results of the upcoming general election. Despite campaigns that drew the attention and support of almost all major political party leaders, such as Imran Khan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Farooq Sattar, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Aitzaz Ahsan and even Shaikh Rashid, the turnout at the polls was a mere 30%.
27 candidates to contest PS-114 by-polls
According to Election Commission of Pakistan records, in the last general election, Marwat won the by-election by securing 37,130 votes against MQM’s Rauf Siddiqui who secured 30,305 votes.
“The transparency of the election process is another factor, but people used to rig the polls, now situation was different,” former provincial election commissioner Sono Khan Baloch said, referring to NADRA’s report submitted to election commission tribunal that it could verify only 10,007 votes of the total 92,748 votes polled in PS-114 in 2013.
Despite the fact that their party lost the seat, many MQM-Pakistan leaders are happy that they secured at least 18,000 votes in the area. The party’s situation is precarious, as it disowned founder Altaf Hussain, had asked voters to boycott the by-election.
“We are thankful to the people of Mehmoodabad who have given us 18,000 votes. It is an embarrassment for those who asked our voters to remain confined to their houses and not vote for our candidate,” said a senior MQM-Pakistan leader, referring to Altaf and Pak Sarzameen Party chief Mustafa Kamal’s advice to the Muhajir community.
Campaigning gone wrong: PPP takes over road ahead of Bilawal's address in Karachi
The PPP is now celebrating its victory and the Sindh government is considering allotting the labour department portfolio to Ghani soon. According to him, he will try to make it a permanent seat for the party. It is yet to be seen whether he lives up to his pledge of interacting with his voters or follows the status quo and shuns them after achieving his goal.