Political parties initiate Karachi-centric campaign to garner crucial votes

Large-scale huddles will highlight civic issues to win hearts and minds of the dwellers ahead of general elections

KARACHI: The mainstream political and religious parties have initiated their electoral campaign by making the issues relating to amenities as the basis of their strategy, sources privy to the development said on Saturday.

These parties include Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-Pakistan), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Parties (ANP) and others.

Th political workers, insiders added, are holding protests, aimed at highlighting the issues being faced by the masses. This momentum will be increased with the maximum number of protests, rallies and gatherings to achieve the objectives.

Different parties are engaging MQM workers and leaders into their fold so that their political experience can be utilised to gain control over areas which were under MQM influence and win elections from the constituencies.

The strategy is to make seat adjustments or limited political alliances following MQM's split, or after competing with the splinter groups.

To this effect, sources added, political parties have started forging contacts. Political circles say that these parties never remembered protesting for Karachi's basic issues in the past five years as they are remembering them now.

All parties can now see problems such as loadshedding, shortage of water, dilapidation of infrastructure, difficulties acquiring national identity cards etc.



Apart from the two groups of MQM, all important parties have started their political activities in the city and offices are being established for this purpose.

Meanwhile, MQM-P supremo Dr Farooq Sattar is busy in forming a joint platform to be called Muhajir Ittehad. However, it is still to be seen as to how this formula will meet success.

Political circles further say that it is the people who will decide through their votes the success or failure of the efforts currently in play.

According to analysts, the mandate of Karachi may be a split mandate where no party seems to be gaining a clear majority.

MQM-P Bahadurabad faction's leader told Roznama Express that being an opposition party, MQM has raised its voice over the issues of Karachi on every platform.

He said his party will continue its efforts to resolve the problems of Karachi. The party will start mass contact campaign from next month.

The party's leader Ali Raza Abidi said that political parties including MQM have started raising their voices on the issues of Karachi, which should be welcomed. He added the MQM-P will start its campaign next month.

Similarly, PSP leader Waseem Aftab said his party had emerged recently, but PPP and MQM-P did not play their roles in resolving the issues. PSP has started its campaign and it will win in the next general elections, he added.

PTI leader Khurram Sher Zaman said that his party had always raised the problems of Karachi. He termed PPP and MQM responsible for the problems of Karachi.

JI Karachi spokesperson Zahid Askari said the party was the first to raise problems of Karachi. Today all parties are speaking on the same issues. JI, he added, will soon start its campaign.

PPP leader Iqbal Saand claimed that the party will win the general elections on the basis of its performance.