NA-243 - a forgotten constituency

Prime Minister Imran Khan won the general elections of 2018 from NA-243, a constituency of the National Assembly in Karachi where people invested high hopes in his promises. Today, however, the same constituency has disappeared from his sight and memories, it seems.

Per sources, NA-243 is still in a state of disarray even though the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Alamgir Khan also won the by-elections from the same constituency. The federal government released development funds worth Rs50 million each to MNAs from PTI and its coalition partner, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, for their constituencies in Karachi. But the federation has forgotten this particular constituency, and despite the passage of more than two years, development funds have not been released for the areas.

The main reason for the non-issuance of funds is said to be the frequent change in development schemes. Therefore, no development work could be done by the federal government in NA-243. Due to the unavailability of funds, the MNA representing NA-243 has been left unable to give area residents anything but words of placation.

According to sources, NA-243 consists of posh, middle-income, and low-income localities, including Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Essa Nagri, PIB Colony, Muhammad Ali Society, Bahadurabad, Patel Para, and Sharafabad, among others.

PTI chief Imran Khan won the 2018 general elections with 91,373 votes from this constituency - along with four other seats. During his election campaign, he had promised residents he would change the constituency’s fate.

The PM later gave up the seat, deciding to retain his seat in his hometown of Mianwali. In the subsequent by-elections in NA-243, Alamgir won with 37,035 votes.

Talking about the constituency’s woes, resident Umair Farooqi said they had voted for Imran in the hopes of seeing change.

“We are facing various issues, including the problem of drainage in various areas within the constituency. But our MNA does not know where the problems are,” he said.

Another resident, Adnan Manzoor, said the constituency, like other parts of Karachi, was badly affected by the torrential rains, which left the roads in a state of despair.

“The PM should pay attention to this constituency and fulfil his promises,” Manzoor urged. “We voted for change but can’t see it anywhere.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party district information secretary Waqas Shaukat said that the ‘Tabdeeli government’ had claimed to offer a solution to the people’s problems but failed to deliver.

“The people of this constituency first voted for Imran and then for Alamgir. Where is Alamgir himself who is politicising other issues, including gutter covers?” he questioned, referring to Alamgir’s Fix It campaign of spray-painting portraits of then-chief minister Qaim Ali Shah next to uncovered manholes. When contacted, Alamgir said that due to the changes in development schemes, the funds had gone to waste.

“We have approached the federal government for further grants for development work, including the re-release of funds against the unused ones,” Alamgir claimed. “It is likely that Rs151.5 million will be released in two phases.”

He added that MNAs do did not get development funds directly, with the funds instead being released to Pakistan Public Works Department.

“We submit our schemes to this federal agency. According to the law, the tenderers carry out the development work and we only monitor them,” he said.

Acknowledging the problem of sewerage and other issues in the constituency, Alamgir said that it was the job of the provincial and district governments to resolve them.

“As soon as the funds are released, I will start working on the construction of a cricket stadium in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 6. I will also work to solve other problems,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2020.