KARACHI - Pakistan People’s Party has finally lost its traditional constituencies in Karachi, the gang-war affectees in Lyari and other old areas have rejected PPP through voting to the opponent parties.
According to unofficial results, PTI’s Abdul Shakoor Shad secured 52750 votes, while TLP candidate Ahmed begged 42645 and Bilawal Bhutto only managed to secure 39325 votes in the traditional constituency of NA-246.
The political pundits have never imagined that PPP would ever be defeated in Lyari. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s formed party has never been defeated in the past since its formation. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, who started his political career from Lyari and Larkana, which remained PPP’s stronghold constituencies, but he faced his first ever defeat from Lyari, as his own party former leader Abdul Shakoor Shad, defeated him, Shakoor Shad was contesting election from the platform of Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf.
Another upset was witnessed in Lyari as PPP also lost its both provincial assembly seats of PS 108 and PS 107.
PS 108 was won by MMA candidate Abdul Rasheed and PS 107 seat was secured by TLP candidate Muhammad Younus Soomro.
Earlier, in 2013 general election, PPP had lost its first traditional seat from NA-239 currently NA-248, as the local people believed that the PPP leaders, who were allotted party tickets for the election had strong connection with gang-war mafias.
The people, belonging to Lyari, Keamari, Malir, coastal built and other Baloch dominated areas, were suffered with the gang warfare for the last fifteen years, which claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people and forced others for shifting, but also damaged the popularity of the party.
The dedicated party worker, requested to be named, have termed the party policies, regarding allegedly patronising the criminal elements, for this loss and alleged that some party leaders have patronized the gang war mafias, who were involved in prolong bloodshed in Lyari.
They also alleged that former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza had also supported the gang-war accused openly and used to visit to their homes. In 2013, when PPP formed the government in Sindh, former CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Faryal Talpur and other party leaders were given a reception party in Lyari that was hosted by Uzair Baloch, head of banned People Aman Committee, it brutally damaged the party reputation, because the party workers have said that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto had never supported such criminal elements, eve they did not want to see such criminals within the party.
Despite the fact that, the party high command suggested to field Bilawal Bhutto to save Lyari’s seats, but they failed to do so.
Unfortunately, Bilawal Bhutto, who made his first appearance in Lyari to launch his election campaign, he faced aggression of locals, who have suffered a lot due to prolong unrest during a period of gang war.
The PPP workers told that they have warned their party leadership time-to-time that if they did not disassociate the party from the criminal militants and they continue their backing to such elements so they may face big loss in the coming elections.
Another big issue which was not addressed by the party leadership is corruption. In 2008, the PPP-led government spent billions of rupees on several projects including health, education and other developments, but on the other side, the Lyarities are still not satisfied and said that despite the allocation of big amount for the developments in Lyari, nothing has been done on the ground.
In the name of ‘Lyari Development Project initiated by President Asif Ali Zardari, a huge grant was allotted, but unfortunately funds were misused and no major perceptible change has been witnessed in the town.