KARACHI - The polling for by-election on PS-88 Malir would be held today (Tuesday) as tough competition was expected between Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while the candidates belonging to Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) cannot be underestimated.
The seat fell vacant after PPP’s Ghulam Murtaza Baloch, then provincial minster, died of COVID-19 in June 2020. Murtaza Baloch emerged victorious from the constituency in General Elections 2018 by securing 22,561 votes followed by PTI’s Muhammad Rizwan Khan who could manage to get 16,386 votes. The TLP had also bagged 7,694 votes while MQM-P stood fourth by bagging 5,207 votes.
The ruling PPP gave ticket to Murtaza’s son, Yousuf Murtaza Baloch while PTI fielded Jan Sher Junejo. As the main contest was expected between the PPP and the PTI, TLP’s Syed Kashif Ali Shah Rashdi and the MQM-P’s Sajid Ahmed, former MNA from Malir, cannot be considered out of the contest.
On the one hand, the PPP candidates enjoyed the support of the parties that were part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) but on the other hand, the coalition partners in the centre--the PTI and the MQM-P--had failed to field a joint candidate. Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), however, withdrew its candidate in favour of the PTI. The four-sided contest may go in the PPP’s favour as the opposition’s votes would be divided amongst PTI, MQM-P and TLP. As per statistics of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), there are total 145,267 registered voters (81,425 male and 64,202 female) in the constituency. Out of 108, the number of sensitive declared polling stations was 36 while 33 polling stations were declared highly sensitive.
PS-43 Sanghar
Meanwhile, by-polls were going to be held today on PS-43 Sanghar where close contest was expected between the PPP and the GDA.
The PS-43 fell vacant after demise of PPP’s Jam Madad Ali who died of complications caused by COVID-19.
The provincial government had declared public holiday in both the constituencies.
Amir Khan takes back
decision for not
contesting Senate
elections
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Amir Khan on Monday had taken back its decision for not contesting the upcoming Senate elections.
MQM-P’s Amir Khan has decided to take part in the forthcoming Senate elections after withdrawing its previous decision for not participating in the run for the Upper House’s seat. The politician decided for contesting the polls on the last day of filing nomination papers by the election commission. Amir Khan said in a statement that he has decided to submit his nomination papers after being insisted on by the party members. He added that Rabita Committee will take the final decision for the issuance of the party tickets. Polling for the forty-eight seats of the Senate will be held on March 3 at the parliament house Islamabad and the four provincial assemblies.
On Sunday, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced that at least 100 candidates have submitted their nomination papers so far for contesting the election on Senate vacant seats.
According to Election Commission officials, 17 candidates have filed their nomination papers from Punjab, 22 from Sindh, 30 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 25 from Balochistan and six from Islamabad.
A total of forty-eight senators will be elected this time including 12 each from KP and Balochistan, while eleven each from Punjab and Sindh and two from Islamabad.