Karachi - The NA-240 constituency will be a battle ground between the rightist and secular political parties in the upcoming 2013 elections on May 11.
The constituency comprising of multi-ethnic and multi-lingual segments was won by the MQM while the PPP was the runner up in 2008 elections.
The current circumstances are indicating a tough contest between the religious political party and secular political party candidates as the religious influence has gone up in most of the areas of the constituency.
PPP’s Abid Hussain Satti, JUI`s Mufti Faizul Haq, PTI`s Naz Baloch and MQM’s Khwaja Sohail Mansoor are contesting for NA-240 seat.
At the same time, sect-based politics would play a vital role in the upcoming polls as the Muttahida Deni Mahaz of Deoband school of thought could affect the results on NA and PS seats.
The target killing incidents of the ASWJ members made the party contest elections on the MDM platform, using their votes in the goodwill of Deoband. MDM`s Maulana Taj Muhammad Hanfi is contesting elections from the constituency. Similarly, JI’s Syed Attaullah Shah, Pakhtunkhwah Milli Awami Party’s Ziauddin Agha and ANP’s Kabir Ahmed Sher are in the run for the seat.
The NA-240 constituency comprises parts of Baldia Town, Saeedabad, Bangali Para, Anjum Colony, Gujrat Colony, Turk Colony, Habibabad, Rasheedabad, Qasim Colony, Delhi Colony, Abdiabad, Islam Nagar, Hasrat Mohani Road, Gulshan-e-Ghazi, Haroonabad, Labour Squire SITE, Willayatabad, Old Golimar, Zuberi Colony, Pak Colony, Shershah, and Urdu Bazar, while most of the localities come under the categories of Katchi Abadis.
The mix-up population comprises Gujratis, Kachchis and people from Junagarh while Pakhtoons, Hazarawalas, Balochs, Sindhis and Urdu-speaking people are also present in the areas. The constituency contains 222,359 registered voters with 130,661 male and 91,698 female voters. Most of the areas are still facing issues related to the Municipal services.
In 2002 elections, MQM`s Sarkaruddin Advocate won the seat by scoring 30,408 votes while MMA`s Maulana Shireen Muhammad got 22,764 votes.
In 2008, MQM`s Khwaja Sohail Mansoor clinched victory with 67,799 votes while PPP`s Abdullah Bloch bagged 61,017 votes.
The PS-91 and PS-92 are the seats lying under NA-240 constituency. The PS-91comprises areas including Saeedabad, Sector-V, Sarhad Colony, Madina Colony, Ghaus Nagar and Shah Faisal Mohalla, Mianwali Para, Sarhad Extension, Swat Colony, Lasi Para, Anjum Colony, Baldia-II, Gujrat Colony, Turk Colony, Kokan Colony, Rasheedabad-II, Kumharwara, Rasheedabad-I, Datari Mohalla Junagarh, Chishti Nagar, Hussaini Mohalla and Habibabad, Haji Qasim Colony, Delhi Makkah Colony, Faqir Colony, Gulistan-i-Ghazi Block-A, B, C and Block-D Baldia Town.
MMA`s Hafiz Muhammad Naeem won the PS-91 seat with 12,766 votes defeating MQM`s Tasneemul Hassan Farooqi who got 12,497 votes in 2002 election. In 2008, MQM’s Muhammad Hanif Shaikh won the seat with 37,175 votes while PPP`s Liaquat Ali Khan got 23,890 votes.
For 2013 elections, about 16 candidates are in the run to win the PS-91 seat. MQM’s Kamran Akhtar, PPP’s Altaf Hussain Hali, PML-N’s Aman Khan Afridi, JUI-F’s Hafiz Muhammad Naeem, ANP’s Muhammad Razzak, JI’s Muhammad Naeem Iqbal, PTI’s Fazal Sharif Khatak, MDM’s Maulana Abdul Hameed Tonsovi and PMAP’s Bacha Gul are in the run for the seat.
While the PS-92 comprises Shershah Colony, Haroonabad, SITE, Labour Colony, Pak Modern Colony, Jahanabad Colony, Willayatabad Colony, Hasrat Mohani Colony, Chittagong Colony, Haji S M Goth, Asifabad Colony, Yasin Zubairi Colony, Qadeemi Mohalla, Ghulam Mohammad Village, Badal Para, Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Village, Central Muslimabad, Ali Mohammad Village, Old Golimar, Hussain Aulia Village, Rexer Lane, Mistri Khan Village, United Colony United Colony, Muslimabad, Jahanabad, Shershah Village, Mianwali Colony, Old Golimar, Shershah Colony, Urdu Bazar Road and Akbar Road.
MQM’s Abdul Sattar Ansari won the seat scoring 16,843 votes and defeated PPP`s Shabbir Qureshi who got 10,394 votes in 2002 elections.
In 2008 elections, MQM`s Abdul Haseeb was declared winner from PS-92 with 30,981 after a tough contest with PPP`s Shabbir Qureshi who scored 30,497 votes.
For 2013 elections, twenty three candidates are in the run to win the constituency. PML-N’s Khalid Mumtaz Advocate, MQM’s Abdul Haseeb, ANP’s Khursheed Ahmed Qureshi, PPP’s Abdullah Baloch, JUI-F’s Azizur Rehman, JI’s Muhammad Muqeen,
PTI’s Humayyun Swati, MDM’s Mufit Habibur Rehman and PMAP’s Bacha Gul Khan are contesting for the seat. No consensus or seat adjustment has been made so far between the religious party and the split of religious voters might benefit the secular parties in the constituency.