City's wedding destination may vote for marriage of religion and politics

With one of the highest literacy rates in Pakistan, NA-256 votes may hinge on promise of better civic facilities

KARACHI: Karachi's last constituency by number, NA-256, stretches from Paposh Nagar to Lateef Nagar and comprises major landmarks such as Jinnah Women University, Karachi's Intermediate and Matric board offices, Saifee Hospital and Ziauddin Hospital. Its areas include Khando Goth, Kausar Niazi Colony, Buffer Zone and Nagan Chowrangi.

The area has done well in terms of education and health facilities, with over 10 public colleges located in its jurisdiction. These include the Government Degree College North Nazimabad, Kalyana Girls College North Karachi, TTC Girls College Buffer Zone, Government Intermediate Girls College North Nazimabad, Ship Owners College North Nazimabad, Abdullah Girls College, Premier Government College and Polytechnic College North Nazimabad. Besides, countless private hospitals are set up in this constituency.



Lately, the constituency has made a name for its abundance of banquets and ballrooms, attracting wedding parties from across the city.

In terms of civic facilities, most areas in NA-256 fare slightly better than the rest of the city. North Nazimabad is one of the best planned localities of the country, where attention had been paid to developing a proper road network, drainage system, parks and playgrounds and the housing blocks have been demarcated accordingly.



In recent times, however, residents have been distraught by the construction work on the Green Line metro bus project, which is a constant source of severe traffic congestion on the major thoroughfares.

NA-256 is home to a total population of 738,115 people, of 489,665 are registered to vote. On July 25, they will cast their votes in 282 polling stations set up across the constituency.

 

The competition

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has awarded its ticket to Amir Waliuddin Chishti, who will face the Pak Sarzameen Party's Muhammad Adil Siddiqui, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Najeeb Haroon, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal's Merajul Huda Siddiqui, Pakistan Peoples Party's Syed Sajid Hassan, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's Muhammad Ali Qadri, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Dost Muhammad Faizi and Awami National Party's Sofia Yaqoob, besides independent candidates Rehan Mansoor Khwaja, Zain Aqil, Shahid Hussain, Muhammad Irshad Siddiqui, Muhammad Afsar Ali Khan, Muhammad Riaz Haider and Muhammad Zaman Khan Lodhi.

The constituency also comprises two provincial assembly seats - PS-129 and PS-130.



 

Vote banks

The vast majority of the population in this constituency is Urdu-speaking. Considered a stronghold of the MQM, religious parties also enjoy considerable support among the voters. Besides, the constituency is also inhabited by members of the Bohri community.



With one of the highest literacy rates in the country, the constituency is a mixture of posh and slum areas, both of which have suffered from the water crisis that has gripped the city in recent years.

The infamous Katti Pahari, notorious for ethnic clashes between the Pushtoon and Urdu-speaking communities, is also part of this constituency. The hill was cut through to pave way for a road to connect North Nazimabad with Qasba Colony and Orangi Town during the tenure of former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal. The road is still less travelled, though, for fear of looting and plunder.

Reporting by Amir Farooq