Constituency profile: A fight to remember

Karachi’s sprawling political canvas is seeing some new colours splashed on it.

KARACHI:

With just a few days to go for the general elections, there is little obvious election fever on the streets of Karachi. Terrorism has limited the election activities of the PPP, ANP and MQM to the hanging of flags and banners.

Missing are the popular slogans, the bustling election offices and the loudspeakers blaring party songs and slogans.

These parties are avoiding organising public gatherings and rallies for fear of a repeat of the kind of attacks that they have been subjected to after the TTP threatened to target them.

However, the campaigning of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other parties continues with relatively more fervour, and despite the pall of fear some feel these elections may see a very high turnout.

An overview

Earlier, there were 13 national and 28 provincial assembly seats for Karachi division, but after delimitation of constituencies in 2001, the number of national and provincial assembly seats has climbed to 20 and 42 seats respectively.

PPP and MQM have fielded their candidates in all 20 national and 42 provincial assembly seats of Karachi. The ANP has nominated 15 candidates for national assembly, JI has nominated 12 and PTI awarded tickets to 19 candidates. The PML-N and JUI-F have fielded only five candidates each.

New Players

There are a few new dimensions to the upcoming elections; the PTI in particular has emerged as a new player with the support of zealous young cadres chanting slogans of  “Naya Pakistan”.

The Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen may also change the dynamics of election results in Karachi, as it hopes to attract Shia voters who traditionally support the MQM. This new entrant is contesting on five seats.

Also, ten different political, religious and nationalist parties, considered to be rivals of the MQM and PPP have formed an alliance. The alliance includes the PML-F, the PML-N, the JI and the JUI-F. However, in many areas these parties have fielded candidates against each other, giving the impression that the alliance has lost its actual purpose.

MQM – Still in the lead?

The MQM has been the undisputed king of Karachi for the past two decades. Onlookers wait with bated breath to see if the same trend will continue this time.

According to a comparative study of the last six elections (1988-2008), the PPP has had a hold over six national assembly seats from Karachi, mostly from Sindhi and Baloch dominated areas, but MQM has won by thumping majority, claiming 80 to 90 per cent votes in Karachi.

However, the MQM’s opponents say the results do not paint the correct picture.  “Unfortunately, elections are rigged in Karachi; if fair and free elections are held, MQM will lose a majority of the seats. The boxes are filled by votes of MQM workers, not of real voters,” said the JI’s Naimatuallah Khan.

MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said that despite the threats they would not only retain their positions, but win more seats in Karachi and the rest of the country. “I don’t want to indulge in a blame game, but the people will prove whom the majority supports in Karachi,” he said.

It is yet to be seen whether the new players and alliances will manage to break the hegemony of the MQM in Karachi.











The Hot Seat

With 32 candidates vying for it, this is Karachi’s most high profile seat – NA 250.

This constituency will see tough competition between the PPP’s Rashid Hussain Rabbani, the MQM’s Khushbakht Shujaat, PTI’s Arif Alvi and the JI’s Naimatullah Khan. The PML-F has given a ticket to Kamran Tessori, but although his chances are minimal he says this is the one seat in Karachi that his party is confident of winning.

According to Naimatullah Khan his party also has great support in the area. “Our candidate, Abdul Sattar Aghani had contested and won the election in 2002,” he said.

ANP – Any chance?

The Awami National Party (ANP), which had emerged as a potential rival of the MQM in Karachi, seems to be in a compromised position after repeated attacks by terrorists. Its party leaders are confined to their houses and offices and according to political observers this will ultimately benefit the MQM.

Though the ANP leadership realises this, they have high hopes of getting a good response from the people of Karachi. “In this situation we cannot hold corner meetings in some areas.  I hope we will retain our last assembly position if we do not gain more,” said Bashir Jan of ANP.

Karachi West, including Frontier colony, Bawani Challi, Metroville and many SITE areas are dominated by Pakhtoon votes.  NA 257 (Landhi) where Amanullah Mehsud of ANP has been given the ticket is a party stronghold.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2013.