So far, the BNP has not formed an alliance with any other political party. DESIGN: EMA ANIS
The upcoming general elections may dilute Karachi votes as more parties enter the political scene.
For a long time, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were securing the most seats in the city. The 2008 elections were a turning point as the Awami National Party managed to gain two provincial seats. These general elections are likely to change the city’s political landscape further as Sindhi and Baloch residents are mobilising under their respective nationalist parties.
Balochistan National Party’s (BNP) Abdul Malik Baloch has nominated three candidates - Mir Shahnawaz Lashari for NA-258 Malir, Jummad Khan for PS-13 Jacobabad and Habibur Rehman Baloch for PS-130 Malir.
Lashari’s constituency is the same where PPP’s Sher Muhammad Baloch won the elections in 2008, while Habibur Rehman is contesting the same constituency where PPP’s Muhammad Sajid Jokhio won. Lashari also plans to contest elections from PS-118, where Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement won the last time.
So far, the BNP has not formed an alliance with any other political party. Jan Muhammad Buledi, the party spokesperson, said that they have strong support in these areas. “We are hoping to win from these constituencies.”
First time for Sindhi nationalists
On the other hand, Sindhi nationalists are also taking part in parliamentary politics for the first time. The Sindh Taraqi Pasand (STP) party, Sindh United Party (SUP) and the Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) are contesting from different parts of the province, including Karachi.
The trio is part of the 10-party alliance in Sindh. The alliance is planning to contest their joint candidate in one constituency and is planning on announcing their final candidates on April 11 after their two-day meeting.
For Sindhi-dominated areas of Karachi, the STP has nominated Saleem Brohi for PS-97, Gulzar Soomro for PS-126, Zaffar Rajpar for PS-129 and Khair Muhammad Magsi for PS-130. STP chairperson Dr Qadar Magsi is confident that his party has strong support in two constituencies - PS-126 and PS-130. Dr Magsi said that STP’s candidates could withdraw if the alliance decided to. “We are committed to our alliance. It’s a one-to-one competition against the PPP, the MQM and the PML-Q.”
On a possible alliance with the Baloch nationalists in Karachi, Dr Magdi said, “The Baloch are our brothers and we could talk to them and support them.”
Though the STP, like other nationalist parties, has entered mainstream politics for the first time, Dr Magsi felt the election is a decisive factor. “People in Sindh are not happy with the performance of the PPP government and its ally [the MQM],” he said.
SUP’s Mehboob Abbasi will contest for PS-126, while senior politician Haji Younis Baloch will contest from Lyari’s NA-248. The party is confident that it has seven strong candidates who will defeat the PPP but they are not too sure if they will be able to make their presence felt in Karachi. “We are against anti-Sindh political parties,” claimed SUP head Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah. “It is a misconception of the larger parties that other parties have no vote bank in Karachi. We’ll prove them wrong.”
Will the party support Baloch candidates in Lyari? Shah said that his party could support Baloch candidates but not those from the PPP. Pointing out the PPP and MQM relationship in the past few years, Shah said, “Both of them protect each other’s interests, and not of the common people.”
QAT’s Ali Babar is the only candidate in Karachi for PS-30, but the party will support PAC candidates in Lyari. “We have to respect the meeting of our alliance parties,” said QAT media secretary Noor Ahmed Katiar, happy that all parties against the PPP and the MQM are at one platform.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ