Key Karachi constituencies could be anybody’s game

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui contesting crucial seats for NA-248

KARACHI:

MQM-Pakistan’s top leadership is gearing up for the upcoming elections from various constituencies as political pundits predicting tough competition saying that the pendulum could swing in any direction given the changed electoral dynamics.

Key MQM-Pakistan figures, including Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, are contesting crucial seats.

Siddiqui is vying for NA-248, Senior Deputy Convener Syed Mustafa Kamal for NA-242, and Senior Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar for NA-244 and NA-241.

In the 2018 elections, Faisal Vawda of PTI secured victory on this seat by a mere 300 votes. A subsequent by-election saw PPP’s Qadir Mandokhel emerge victorious, despite a close contest with PML-N’s Miftah Ismail.

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The current electoral scenario in NA-242 includes contenders from the MQM-Pakistan, PML-N, TLP, PPP, PTA, and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Despite efforts from the PML-N leadership to support the MQM-Pakistan, the latter has retained its candidate for this seat, leaving the outcome uncertain.

Similarly, MQM-Pakistan’s Senior Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar is entering the race in NA-244, where Aftab Jehanagir of PTI secured victory in 2018.

The entry of MQM-Pakistan’s senior leaders suggests the potential for a tough competition, with candidates from various parties, including PTI, TLP, and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Dr Farooq Sattar is also contesting from NA-241, a constituency that has seen changes after the delimitation process.

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The outcome is unpredictable, given the presence of strong contenders from Tehreek-e-Insaf, MQM, TLP, and Jamaat-e-Islami.

MQM’s senior leaders Mustafa Kamal and Farooq Sattar are facing challenging contests in the upcoming elections. While Siddiqui is contesting from NA-248, where PTI’s Aslam Khan won in 2018. This constituency, once considered a stronghold of the MQM-Pakistan, has become a battleground with rivals like PTI’s independent candidate Arsalan Khalid, Jamaat-e-Islami's Muhammad Babar Khan, PPP's Muhammad Hasan Khan, MQM Haqiqi's Naveed Hasan, and TLP's Muhammad Amjad Ali.
In summary, MQM-Pakistan's senior leadership is engaging in challenging electoral battles across Karachi's constituencies. The competition is expected to be intense, with the results eagerly awaited on February 8. The party faces formidable opponents in these crucial constituencies, marking a significant test of their electoral strength.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2024.