Political manoeuvres: Amn Committee nominees to get PPP tickets

Katchi community strongly opposes decision.


Hafeez Tunio March 27, 2013
PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI:


The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has decided to allot party tickets to nominees put forward by Lyari’s Peoples Amn Committee (PAC), much to the displeasure of the Katchi community.


These candidates from Lyari have submitted their nomination papers for provincial and national assembly seats on Wednesday. According to a party official, former union council nazim Shah Jahan Baloch will contest the elections from NA-248 - the same seat which Nabeel Gabool won in the 2008 elections. Social activist Sania Naz, a PPP member, submitted her nomination papers for PS-109, the constituency that the deceased Rafique Engineer had contested in the last two elections.

The PS-108 seat has reportedly been allotted to Javeed Naghori, a PAC supporter. The same seat, which falls in Kalri and its adjoining areas, was always won by Dr Saleem Hingoro and his family members. Naghori’s appointment was reportedly made on the recommendation of Lyari’s elder committee.

The elder community was formed after the 2012 Lyari operation, when cases were registered against PAC activists and its leader Uzair Jan Baloch had announced that they will contest the elections against the PPP in Lyari. Party banners and wall posters that carried pictures of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari, were removed.

This resentment compelled the party leaders to form a committee under the supervision of PPP Karachi division former MNA Qadir Patel to woo the enraged residents.

PAC leader Baloch told The Express Tribune that there was no true representation of Lyari in the parliament or the provincial assembly, which is why they demanded the PPP leadership allot them tickets. “Nabil Gabol and Rafique Engineer were not from Lyari,” he pointed out. “They got the votes, but did not pay heed to the problems faced by the residents.”



The PAC made it clear to the PPP that if they were not allotted tickets, they will contest the upcoming elections as independent candidates. “This is not an individual decision, but our elders committee, which has been negotiating with PPP leaders over the Lyari issue, has recommended these names,” he said. PPP Karachi division vice-president Habib Hassan said they had consulted the leadership before submitting the papers. “These are the final candidates for the upcoming elections.”

The PPP has also allotted PS-110 and PS-111 seats to Faheem and Adnan Baloch, both from Lyari. In the previous elections, MQM MPA Muhammad Tahir Qureshi and Muhammad Shoaib won from these areas.

Katchi community protests

These submissions have irked the Katchi community. Dr Saleem Hingro, a member of the outgoing Sindh Assembly, complained that the PPP failed to take them into confidence. “We have also heard that the party has allotted the seats, but it is yet to be confirmed,” he said, adding that more than 50 per cent of Lyari’s population is Katchi who will not be represented.

“We have lost more than 100 people during the PPP government and our properties have been occupied by the Baloch,” said Katchi Rabita Council general secretary Akhtar Katchi. “The recent decision has pushed the Katchi community against the wall and we will announce our line of action soon.” For their part, the PPP insisted that they have yet to make a final decision to allot tickets to any member.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2013.

COMMENTS (2)

Omer | 11 years ago | Reply

KUTCHI and BALOCH? Okay now i get where Nabil Gabol gets his support from.

kala_bacha | 11 years ago | Reply

Mirza back in action.

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