The election enthusiasm is gaining momentum as the polling date draws nearer and political parties are staging rallies while on campaign trail across the country.
In the battleground Karachi, the commercial hub of the country, as many as 582 candidates are vying for 22 National Assembly seats, with 248 candidates from 37 political parties and 334 running as independents. Among the candidates, 58 are women, with 20 affiliated with political parties and 28 participating as independents.
Except for Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and TLP, PTI has fielded candidates independently for all seats. For the 22 National Assembly constituencies, PPP has nominated 21 candidates, MQM-P 19, and PML-N 18. Moreover, smaller parties such as Pakistan Defense Qaumi Movement, Aaam Log Ittehad (ALI), Sulaiman Khel Qabail Movement, Amun Taraqqi Party (ATP), Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Pakistan (TTP), and Mazloom Olsi Tehreek Pakistan are also in the running for National Assembly seats from Karachi.
Political parties have ensured representation for 20 women in the 22 National Assembly seats, while 28 women are running as independent candidates. Interestingly, there are 14 candidates each for NA-232 Korangi, NA-241 District South, NA-242 Keamari, and NA-250 District Central from political parties. The maximum number of candidates for NA-232 and NA-241 is 38 each.
Read: 25 in the run for NA-230 Malir
The parties that have fielded candidates for the National Assembly seats in Karachi include PPP, MQM-P, JI, PML-N, JUI, Mohajir Qaumi Movement, and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). Moreover, Defense Qaumi Movement, Mazloom Olsi Tehreek Pakistan, Aam Awam Movement, JUI Rabta, PPP-Shaheed Bhutto, Muslim League Sher-e-Bengal, Muslim League Council, Aman Taraqqi Party, Aam Log Ittehad, JUP Noorani, JUP Imam Noorani, Sulaiman Khel Qabail Movement, Brabri Pakistan Party, Pakistan Conservative Party, Islamic Republican Party, Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Muslim League Zia, and Pak Muslim Alliance are also included.
The PML-Q has nominated three candidates, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and JUI-Samiul Haq one each, MQM seven, JUI three, and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has nominated four candidates for the National Assembly seats. The lowest number of candidates, 15, are contesting for NA-229 Malir, including seven independent candidates.
Five candidates from the minority community are also in the run. Among the 334 independents on the 22 National Assembly seats in Karachi, Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad and alternate candidates from other political parties are also included.
In Karachi, JI, TLP, and PTI, in independent status, have nominated candidates for all 22 seats, while 21 candidates from PPP, 19 from MQM-P, 18 from PML-N, 17 from Markazi Muslim League, 11 from IPP, 12 from ANP, 10 from Rah-e-Haq Party, seven from Pak Muslim Alliance, four from Sulaiman Khel Qabail Movement, and four candidates from PML-Q are contesting for the National Assembly seats.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2024.
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