NA-245: Campaigns sluggish in the constituency which has militants as neighbours
The AO tower in North Nazimabad on a rainy day. Many amenity plots near it have been taken over by businesses or converted into residential areas. PHOTO: FILE
The last week has shown that when it comes to election campaigns, NA-245 is one of Karachi’s most vulnerable constituencies: within a span of 48 hours, two bombs exploded outside election camps set up just beyond the constituency’s boundaries.
Perhaps it is the location of NA-245 which may make parties’ election offices especially vulnerable to attack. The constituency, which falls in District Central, consists of North Nazimabad, Buffer Zone, some chunks of North Karachi and parts of Nazimabad, including Paposh Nagar. It is bounded by Nazimbad No. 5 on the west, Landi Kotal intersection on the southeast and North Karachi’s block 11-A, 11-B, 11-C on the north.
Just outside the northwest boundary of the constituency lie Kunwari Colony and New Mianwali Colony – two of Manghopir’s settlements where militants flex their muscles freely.
A brief visit to the area reveals that people, including party activists, feel jittery about attending corner meetings or immersing themselves in election-related activities as they fear more attacks. Leaders from different political parties have only recently emerged from their houses, cautiously organising small meetings where they attempt to woo voters. But they have failed to attract the area’s residents, who are well aware of threats lurking nearby. Moreover, only recently have a plethora of party flags gone up in spots around the constituency. Most banners are of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), followed by those of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The ‘developing’ situation
Most of NA-245 was meant to be a residential area for civil servants back when Karachi was the federal capital. Therefore, it is one of the most planned localities of the country. A lion’s share of the constituency’s residents belong to the middle and lower-middle classes. Pockets of shanty towns have also cropped up here.
According to the 1998 census, the constituency boasts of one of the highest literacy rates in the city. But surprisingly, it is home to only two government colleges: Abdullah Girls’ College and Shipowners Boys’ College.
Another area where the constituency lacks is state-sponsored healthcare facilities. Thankfully, the private sector has jumped in to cover this gaping hole with Ziauddin Hospital, the city’s third-largest, as well as Saifee Hospital and Imam Clinic.
Over the years, the development of infrastructure in the constituency has been modest at best while amenities such as parks and playgrounds seem to be vanishing completely. One of the major infrastructural improvements which can be credited to the previous government is partial rehabilitation of Shahrahe Noor Jehan which goes from Abdullah college to Qalandaria chowk.
On the other hand, amenity plots, including parks and playgrounds, have been encroached upon, leaving residents of the area fuming. The previous administration of North Nazimabad Town had granted a big food chain permission to build a restaurant on a plot of land which was supposed to be a park.
Apart from this, at least five playgrounds for children have been converted into residential plots, causing further resentment among the area’s residents. The encroached playgrounds include Masjid-e-Aslam park in Block D, Masjid-e-Batha park in Block I, Maulana Hasrat Mohani Library park in Block A, Aleemia Park in Block A and Madni Masjid park in Block I.
If you talk to the area’s residents, they will also point out other signs of government neglect: for a long time, the area around Ashgar Ali Shah Stadium had become a veritable landfill where rotting mounds of garbage were burnt regularly before the administration stepped up to do something about it in 2005.
Thankfully, in this constituency there is at least plenty for foodies to rejoice – the city’s fourth-largest street can be found in North Nazimabad’s H-block. Here, people can tuck into a range of gastronomical delights, ranging from a light chai and paratha to hearty helpings of chicken roast, nihari and biryani.
People and places
When Afghan refugees started pouring into the city during the Cold War, they occupied land in Nazimabad’s Block H. This place later came to be known as Landi Kotal after a famous bazaar near Peshawar. These refugees later shifted to large tracts of land in Sohrab Goth during the early days of General Ziaul Haq.
The constituency also is home to the biggest Dawoodi Bohra community neighbourhoods in the country. They have built residential compounds and established their businesses around all blocks of Hyderi market. Despite the fact that the community is one of the most peaceful in the city, they were still targeted in September last year. Twin blasts went off near Burhani compound, leaving eight people dead.
The shanty towns in the constituency – including Kausar Niazi Colony which lies behind one of North Nazimabad’s upscale localities – have mixed populations in terms of ethnicity. The same goes for Nusrat Bhutto Colony, Khalilabad, Usman Ghani and Omar Farooq Colony, which lie behind blocks J, I ant T.
Political clout
In the past, the constituency has been a fort of MQM, whose candidates won the National Assembly seat handily in 2008 and 2002.
The seat fell vacant in 2012 after MQM’s Dr Farhat Muhammad Khan had to resign for possessing dual nationality. During the by-polls in October last year, MQM’s Mohammad Rehan Hashmi returned unopposed after the other two candidates, Jamal Ahmed and Javed Shaukat withdrew from the by-polls.
Almost all blocks of North Nazimabad, some parts of North Karachi, Paposh Nagar and Bara Maidan have an overwhelming majority of MQM supporters.
However, there are small pockets which are strangleholds of Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami National Party and religious parties including JUP and Muttahida Deeni Muhaz. Umer Farooq Colony, Dir Colony, Roidad Nagar, Khando Goth, Umer Brohi Goth are dominated by PPP, where the candidates of the party have already set their political camps.
ANP has a majority in Khalilabad and Nusrat Bhutto Colony. But the party has not fielded a candidate here. The other shanty towns appear to be tilted towards the Muthida Deeni Mahaz.
This time around, Rehan Hashmi is contesting for NA-245 from MQM’s ticket. His nearest rival could be Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui of JI. PPP candidate Sardar Khan may also bag a sizeable number of votes.
Down memory lane
James Arif, 65, a senior political activist of PPP lives in Christian Colony, located in North Nazimabad’s Block Q. He said that during this election, people from the area fear going to political meetings.
"We used to go to Umer Farooq Colony and Dir Colony without fear. But over the past five to six years, extremism has skyrocketed," he told The Express Tribune.
There are 800 small houses in his neighbourhood and Arif said that instead of drawing people to meetings as they did during the past elections, political party members are now knocking door-to-door.
"We are reluctant to step out and visit election offices because of growing extremism. We are Christians and so we feel doubly threatened. No political party has been able to pull us out of adversity," Arif added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2013.