Prominent political personalities of Karachi are likely to be neck and neck in the local government elections scheduled for Sunday, and they will be contesting against not only one another but also other local candidates.
Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman is contesting the LG polls from UC-8 (Al-Falah, North Nazimabad). He will face the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Akbar Masood, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Abu Bakkar Siddiq and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Sahibzada Khan.
This constituency is the most important for the JI Karachi because Rehman is the JI’s expected mayoral candidate for the city. He, however, had lost the seat to an unpopular MQM-P contestant in the previous LG elections.
Ashraf Jabbar Qureshi, one of the PTI’s founding members, is contesting for two North Nazimabad Town union councils: UC-1 (Paposh Colony) and UC-6 (Khamosh Colony).
In UC-1 he will face the JI’s Muhammad Nadeem, the PPP’s Javeed Mureed Bikak and the MQM-P’s Saleem Muhammad. In UC-6 the JI’s Muhammad Iqbal, the MQM-P’s Rizwan Uddin and the PPP’s Faisal Sheikh can give him a tough time. He has already lost eight times in the by-elections for provincial National Assembly seats.
In Saddar Town the PPP’s Syed Najmi Alam, who is expected to be a candidate for mayor or deputy mayor, is in the run as vice chairman for UC-12. He is also contesting for UC-11.
He will be facing Khurrum Sher Zaman, the PTI’s parliamentary party leader in the provincial assembly who was also elected as MPA from Saddar Town.
The JI has awarded a ticket to Maaz Liaquat, who was formerly associated with the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba. In UC-11 and UC-12 the PPP has formed an alliance with the Tehreek-e-Awam Ahl-e-Sunnat.
The PTI’s Firdous Shamim Naqvi is in the run for UC-2 (Soldier Bazaar). The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) has withdrawn its panel in favour of Naqvi. According to the written agreement between the two parties, if Naqvi wins, the MWM’s councillor will be accommodated.
The Pak Sarzameen Party has not fielded any heavyweight candidate. However, they believe if they gain a significant number of seats, they would accommodate a suitable candidate on the reserved seats. The MQM-P has adopted the same strategy. The party’s Wasim Akhtar was elected from the Lines Area in the previous LG polls.
The Pakistan Peoples Party has fielded Malik Fayaz in Lyari, and he is an expected candidate for the town council’s chairmanship.
He will face candidates of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and the PTI. The PPP will apparently take advantage of the rifts within the PTI, and the latter’s alienated MNA Shakoor Shad will also support the PPP.
