LG polls: MQM candidates hope to become HMC mayor

LG elections in 15 districts of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Nawabshah divisions are scheduled for November 19

HYDERABAD:

Buoyed by a large number of returning candidates running unopposed, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is eyeing to clinch the strongly vied position of the mayor of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC).

"Hopefully, the mayor and deputy mayor [of the HMC] will be from MQM," said Syed Shahid Pasha, Rabita Committee deputy convener. He was addressing a press conference at the party's zonal office in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Local government elections in 15 districts of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Nawabshah divisions are scheduled for November 19. The process of scrutiny, appeals and withdrawals of the candidates completed on October 14. The MQM's 22 chairmen and vice chairmen and 198 ward councilors have won unopposed on the 96 seats of chairmen and vice-chairmen in as many union committees and 384 ward councilors up for the contest.

Read: Raising voices : MQM demands appointment of administrators

"Like Hyderabad, we will also surprise our opponents in Karachi," claimed Pasha. Several of the HMC's returned candidates and the party's MNAs and MPAs attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2015.