Joining hands: Political parties form alliance to contest LG elections

The MQM has been excluded from this alliance

HYDERABAD: Despite all the incrimination about corruption and bad governance, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) does not seem to face any electoral isolation, at least in Hyderabad.

The PPP, along with religious and mainstream political parties, is leading an effort to form an all parties alliance for the local government elections in Hyderabad scheduled for November 19.

Except for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as well as some nationalist parties, all the other political groups have apparently signaled their readiness to jump on the bandwagon. A final round of meetings is scheduled to be held late on Wednesday night at Jamaat-e-Islami's (JI) office.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which was not invited to join the alliance, will be the main opponent of the coalition. "We have tentatively decided to form a committee, comprising all the represented parties. This committee will determine which political party enjoys more support in a given constituency of a union council or a ward so that the alliance can support its candidate in that area," explained Zahid Bhurgari, former provincial minister and the PPP's Hyderabad district president.

According to him, ex-MNA Sahibzada Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair's Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F)and Jamaat-e-Islami have so far agreed to the framework of the grouping. The PTI, PML-N, PML-Q, Shia Ulema Council, Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen, Awami National Party and some other parties will announce their decision after the JI-hosted meeting.

On Tuesday, Zubair hosted a meeting attended by PPP, PML-F, JI and JUI-F. The JUI spokesperson said that all the parties have decided to contest the polls jointly.

"A working committee and a high-powered committee will be formed during the next meeting," said Younus Danish, adding that these committees will settle the seat adjustments and pick the candidates.

Meanwhile, PTI Hyderabad president Khawand Bux Jahejo told The Express Tribune that they can agree to an alliance only for two of the four talukas in Hyderabad district. "In Qasimabad and Hyderabad rural [talukas], the PTI is going to contest head-on against the PPP [candidates]," he said.

Syed Ahmed Rashid, a PTI leader and former district head of the party, said his party has yet to join the first round of negotiations. "We can agree for joint contest of the elections only for Latifabad and City talukas," he stressed.

Both these talukas have hitherto remained a stronghold of the MQM, which bagged both the seats in the National Assembly and four in the provincial assembly from the areas in the 2013 general elections.

An MQM spokesperson confirmed that they have not been invited for the talks. However, he added, it is very unlikely for the MQM to become part of such a group to win seats.

Election schedule

The local government elections in 16 districts of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Nawabshah divisions will be held on November 19. The Election Commission of Pakistan issued on Wednesday the schedule according to which the filing of the nomination papers will start from September 13 to 17, followed by scrutiny from September 26 to October 1.

The tribunals will receive the appeals for and against the nominations till October 6 and will dispose of the appeals by October 12. The candidates can withdraw their nomination by October 13 while the final list of candidates will be displayed over a month ahead of the polls on October 14.

Both the Shia political parties have declined to attend the JI’s meeting because the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat has been invited to the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2015.