Preparations completed for Karachi, Peshawar by-polls on Sunday
PTI's Aftab Hussain Siddiqui set to secure Karachi NA-247, observers say
A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf rally in Karachi on July 22, 2018. PHOTO:AFP
The Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) election commissioners on Saturday informed the ECP that preparations for by-polls in Karachi’s NA-247, PS-111 and Peshawar’s PK-71 had been completed.
NA-247
For NA-247, the PTI has nominated billionaire businessman and real estate developer Aftab Hussain Siddiqui while the Pakistan Peoples Party has given a ticket to showbiz celebrity Qaiser Nizamani. Others in the fray include Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Sadiq Iftikhar, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek’s Ali Nawab and Pak Sarzameen Party’s Arshad Vohra.
In the July 25 general elections held earlier this year, PTI’s Alvi had won the seat comfortably after securing 91,020 votes. His closest two contenders were Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan’s Syed Zaman Shah Jaffery with 24,680 votes and MQM’s Farooq Sattar with 22,780 votes.
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Observers believe PTI’s Siddiqui shall comfortably secure the seat as the party enjoys considerable support. Moreover, in the absence of the TLP, which had returned the second-highest tally on July 25 and enjoys support from Old City areas, there hardly seems to be any real competition.
According to the ECP, there are 240 polling stations in the constituency where around 546,451 voters, 295,567 men and 250,884 women, will be able to cast votes.
PS-111
For PS-111, the PTI has allotted its ticket to Shahzad Qureshi, who is also the information secretary for party’s Karachi division. PPP’s Fayaz Pirdaza, MQM-P’s Dr Jahanzeb Mughal and independent candidate Jibran Nasir – a rights activist – are also in the fray.
On Sunday, the 178,965 registered voters, 94,719 men and 84,246 women, will be able to cast votes in 80 polling stations set up across the constituency.
Nawaz vows to overcome hurdles to win by-elections
With the exception of the PTI and PPP, no party has started campaigning as is the custom. The MQM has fielded candidates but its campaign is no where as enthusiastic as those from yester-years.
In both constituencies, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has pledged support for the PPP while the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and the Jamaat-e-Islami have not fielded any candidate. According to the ECP, army personnel will be deployed at polling stations to ensure free and fair elections.
PK-71
The Peshawar seat was vacated after Shah Faman was appointed governor. PTI’s Zulfiqar Khan and ANP’s Salahuddin are contesting the election along with three independent candidates.
NA-247
For NA-247, the PTI has nominated billionaire businessman and real estate developer Aftab Hussain Siddiqui while the Pakistan Peoples Party has given a ticket to showbiz celebrity Qaiser Nizamani. Others in the fray include Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Sadiq Iftikhar, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek’s Ali Nawab and Pak Sarzameen Party’s Arshad Vohra.
In the July 25 general elections held earlier this year, PTI’s Alvi had won the seat comfortably after securing 91,020 votes. His closest two contenders were Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan’s Syed Zaman Shah Jaffery with 24,680 votes and MQM’s Farooq Sattar with 22,780 votes.
PM Imran blames lack of contact with public for by-poll defeat
Observers believe PTI’s Siddiqui shall comfortably secure the seat as the party enjoys considerable support. Moreover, in the absence of the TLP, which had returned the second-highest tally on July 25 and enjoys support from Old City areas, there hardly seems to be any real competition.
According to the ECP, there are 240 polling stations in the constituency where around 546,451 voters, 295,567 men and 250,884 women, will be able to cast votes.
PS-111
For PS-111, the PTI has allotted its ticket to Shahzad Qureshi, who is also the information secretary for party’s Karachi division. PPP’s Fayaz Pirdaza, MQM-P’s Dr Jahanzeb Mughal and independent candidate Jibran Nasir – a rights activist – are also in the fray.
On Sunday, the 178,965 registered voters, 94,719 men and 84,246 women, will be able to cast votes in 80 polling stations set up across the constituency.
Nawaz vows to overcome hurdles to win by-elections
With the exception of the PTI and PPP, no party has started campaigning as is the custom. The MQM has fielded candidates but its campaign is no where as enthusiastic as those from yester-years.
In both constituencies, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has pledged support for the PPP while the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and the Jamaat-e-Islami have not fielded any candidate. According to the ECP, army personnel will be deployed at polling stations to ensure free and fair elections.
PK-71
The Peshawar seat was vacated after Shah Faman was appointed governor. PTI’s Zulfiqar Khan and ANP’s Salahuddin are contesting the election along with three independent candidates.