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The constituency of NA-252 is ready for a face off between two mainstream parties in Karachi -the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Jamaat-e-Islami. But while the latter has been able to carry out a large-scale campaign, the former has kept it mostly under wraps due to security threats.
Home to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum at MA Jinnah Road, this constituency was claimed by JI’s Muhammad Hussain Mehanti in 2002 while in 2008 - the year that JI boycotted the elections - victory belonged to MQM’s Abdul Rashid Godil.
This year, however, Mehanti - the JI Karachi chief - is back as a formidable joint candidate of the 10-party alliance, which also recently managed to garner the support of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-F through seat adjustments.
JI has the upper hand when it comes to campaigning in the constituency with Mehnati arranging door-to-door contacts, corner meetings and visits to commercial areas on daily basis. The party’s main rally was held last Sunday near Quaid’s Mausoleum at Bagh-e-Jinnah with thousands of supporters turning up to give a glimpse of the party’s strength in NA-252.
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Mehanti, while citing the deteriorating social and economic security during last five years, said that the chances of JI winning the elections were strong if the party’s incessant demand for deployment of army inside the polling stations was met. “People have witnessed the peace, progress and development in Karachi during our short term of office in local bodies,” he said. “MQM cannot win the election without extensive rigging. The presence of army personnel, however, will foil all such attempts to rig the polls.”
Winners of 2008
MQM’s Abdul Rashid Godil will fight to retain his feat in the 2008 elections in which he secured 87,280 votes. But except for holding small corner meetings and putting up billboards and party flags in the constituency, Godil said that election campaign has been passive after the series of blasts near its election offices and camps in the city.
Godil believes that the JI’s victory in 2002 came on the heels of the performance and development works carried out by Niamatullah Khan, the former city nazim. “Karachi’ites give votes to those who work for them, not those who merely raise slogans,” he said. “MQM was reorganising itself then [in 2002] but this time around, only MQM has the unmatched trail of services and development works to its credit while JI is nowhere in the present scenario.”
New parties on the block
The emergence of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) on the political spectrum might give the traditional winners a tough time claiming their victory since the constituency also comprises Shia-dominated localities. The MWM candidate Muhammad Hussain Karimi expects to bag sizeable number of votes from the areas of Soldier Bazaar, Garden East, and PIB Colony as well areas across Martin and Kashmir roads. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Syed Ali Haider Zaidi will contest from NA-252 while Ahsan Jabbar is contesting for PS-117. In Jabbar’s opinion, MQM’s claims of mandate are merely a facade.
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“Victory would have been PTI’s in NA-252 if they had made an alliance with JI as people are desperate for change,” said Mohammad Muneeb, who owns a shop in Dhoraji, a Memon-dominated area.
Jabbar, too, agreed with the promising prospects in case of a JI-PTI alliance but said that the party did not want to join any group which was in the last government.
The Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat has also nominated Syed Bahroon Shah for the constituency from the platform of the Muttahida Deeni Mahaz
The places, the people
NA-252 represents a blend of affluent, middle, lower-middle and working class people. Most of the residents are professionals or businessmen, including Memon and Bohri communities along with Punjabi Sodagran of Delhi.
Around 5,000 families of retired public servants live in government residential colonies at Martin Road, Jehangir Road, Clyton Road, Jamshed Road and Pakistan Quarters. These areas are considered strongholds of the MQM but their condition over the years has become deplorable, especially due to broken roads, water shortage and sanitation problems. Martin Roads leads to the city’s central prison which has more than 4,000 prisoners.
The constituency boasts of having one of the most famous shopping hubs of the country, Tariq Road, and the oldest zoo in Sindh, the Karachi Zoological Garden, which is located on Nishter Road.
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s headquarters, Civic Centre, which also houses a number of other public offices, falls on the eastern boundary of NA-252.
Two of Karachi’s busiest hospitals, Aga Khan University Hospital and Liaquat National Hospital, are located side by side at the Stadium Road.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2013.
COMMENTS (11)
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Went to vote, Presiding Officer askd kis ko dena hai? I said havnt decided yet. Handed me the stamp and asked me to mark on Kite, i marked Bat.. Stared at me for a while and said boy you wasted your vote and marked the Kite (more than one mark wastes the vote), he askd me to do what he says now so i left the room. NA 252
I don't understand the point of this article before the Election Day, as a PTI supporter.
I think it just confuses the voter and the timing is unfortunate.
We will find out tomorrow who is winning, so this was unnecessary at this point and will confuse the voter.
“MQM cannot win the election without extensive rigging. The presence of army personnel, however, will foil all such attempts to rig the polls.” ~ Muhammad Hussain Mehanti
MQM chief Altaf Hussain states that his party stands shoulder to sholder with the army against terrorism. MQM must answer as to why they oppose the deployment of the army at polling stations.
@M@ni: brother IK should concentrate in punjab... he is a one off phenomena if he doesnt carry his stronghold. his best bet is for MQM to win so he can go into alliance with them. This way he can fend off sharifs and will have a chance to be there in next election. if he doesnt carry punjab whatever happens he will lose out eventually and will be gone by next election because sharifs will ensure it.
I will be casting my vote from NA 252 for PTI. Let me tell you guys, there will be lots of votes from PECHS/Bhadurabad to PTI this time around. PIB colony is for MQM in this region while other parts belong to JI completely
MWM will I.Allah win from NA-252 and PS-117, vote for MWM
Karachi would have been clean sweeped if JI & PTI has done seat adjustment.
Guys please vote for PTI and convince your relatives and friends to do the same. It's no use trying the same corrupt people again and again.
@Ali Raza: The campaigning by PTI in NA 252 as well as PS 116 wasnt impressive. PTI votes may impact the results for others but a PTI victory seems very difficult. Though Hamza Nafees from PS 115 was on ground campaigning and deserves to win.
PTI is not going to win, however will impact the results and most probably against MQM
Regardless of the fact that JI is strong in NA-252 - I would like to see Syed Ali Haider Zaidi from PTI to win this time.