September 23, 2002	Monday	Rajab 15, 1423

KARACHI, Sept 22: In NA-252 constituency, (the old NA-192), out of 14 candidates in the running, the competition is likely going to be between candidates of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Muttahida-Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

If one goes by the records of the past four general elections, the constituency could be termed as a stronghold of the MQM, from where, in three out of four general elections, its Haq Parast Group nominee were elected. The only polls in which the HPG could not make it was owing to the boycott of the NA elections in 1993, thus Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) succeeded in securing the seat. This was a party whose candidate was a runner up in both the 1997 and 1990 elections, while in the 1988 elections, it was the PPP which ended up in the runner up slot.

In the October 2002 polls, as the election campaign has had a low profile, the MMA — a party with a lot of committed workers — could take the lead come polling day if it succeeds in bringing out voters from their cosy homes.

The constituency comprises over eight union councils of Jamshed and Gulshan-i-Iqbal Towns, and has a good combination of affluent, middle, lower middle and working class people. Most of them are professionals or in the mercantile sector, while 15 to 20 per cent of the population live in non-regularized settlements.

Covering Khudadad Colony, Hyderabad Colony, PECHS Blocks 2 and 3, PIB Colony, Jamshed Quarters, Jehangir Road, Old Sabzi Mandi, Esa Nagri, Gulshan-i-Iqbal Block 14, Aga Khan Hospital, Dhoraji, Mohammad Ali Society, Pakistan Quarters, Garden East, Patel Para, Parsi Colony and Kachchi Abadis in its vicinities, the constituency has two seats of Provincial Assembly PA-116 and PA-117.

The total population in the NA constituency is 449,409 people, including 224,179 registered voters for the October 2002 elections, with 122,895 male and 101,284 female voters.

Out of 14 candidates in the run, the main contestants are Mohammad Intizar Hussain Qureshi of MQM and Mohammad Hussain Mehanti of the MMA. Whereas the MQM has an edge over the MMA, repeatedly returning its candidate to the assembly, the MMA candidate has a plus point of being the nominee of the alliance of six religious parties, which, if it succeeds in mobilizing its activists on polling day, could put a dent in the MQM citadel.

The PML(N) candidate, Mohammad Saeed Shafique can be included among other candidates in the field. They are Rehmat Ellahi Shaikh (Hockey), Nasreen Jalil (Lock), Najma Saeed Chaowla (Arrow), Ather Waseem (Lota), Ghulam Hussain Pirzada (Wall clock), Asia Tariq (Bat), Mohammad Shamimuddin (Star), Mohammad Fazal Noorani (Table Lamp), Fatehyab Ali Khan (Planner), Mohammad Rafique Quaderi (Torch) and Syed Shakir Ali (Candle).

According to the results of the last four general elections, the number of registered voters were 205,401, 196,646, 188,160 and 18,004, while votes cast respectively were 53,769, 39,024, 82,163 and 92,039, showing a percentage of 26.18, 19.86, 43.67 and 51.12 per cent. During these elections, the number of candidates in the field were 12, 14, 4 and 11 respectively.

In the 1997 polls, Aijaz Mehmood of HPG won the seat securing 32,554 votes, while Syed Hafeezuddin of PML (N) ended as runner up after bagging 14,722 votes and Mohammad Saeed Chaowla of PPP was third wit 2847 votes.

In 1993, HPG boycotted the NA elections, which paved the way for Zuhair Akram Nadeem of PML (N) to get elected by securing 20,101 votes, while Mohammad Saeed Chaowla of PPP and Muzaffar Hasan of PIF stood second and third. They bagged 8,589 and 4,960 votes respectively.

In the 1990 elections, Mohammad Rafique Essani of HPG was elected after securing 61,938 votes, while Zuhair Akram Nadeem of IJI and Mohammad Saeed Chaowla of PDA bagged 10,654 and 9,070 votes respectively.

In 1988, Mohammad Farooq Sattar of the HPG was elected as an independent candidate with 5,760 votes, while Piyar Ali Allana of PPP and Zuhair Akram Nadeem of IJI bagged only 13,791 and 13,015 votes.

SINDH ASSEMBLY: The PA-116 constituency covers Khudadad Colony, Fatima Jinnah Colony, PECHS Blocks 2 and 3, Gulshan-i-Iqbal Blocks 13 and 14 and Delhi Mercantile Society.

With the population of 259,506, registered voters are 119,667, with 65,785 male voters and 53,882 female.

There are 12 candidates in the field for the October polls. In contrast to the 1997 elections, when the fight was between HPG and PML (N), this time the contest appears to be between Barkat Ali Khan of MQM and Nasrullah Khan of the MMA. Others in the field are Syed Shakir Ali (Candle), Syed Ali Haider Zaidi (Bat), Syed Abdul Bari Jilani (Tractor), Mohammad Adil Siddiqui (Crescent), Mohammad Saeed Shafique (Tiger), Mohammad Junaid Shaikhani (Tonga), Mohammad Tariq Quaderi (Table Lamp), Rehmat Ellahi Shaikh (Hockey), Zafar Mohiuddin (Telephone) and Mohammad Munir Suleman (Car).

In 1997, when there were 12 candidates, the voting percentage recorded was 26.17 per cent, as 33,585 votes were cast out of the total 128,346 registered voters.

Dr Saghir Ansari of HPG was elected by securing 20,045 votes, while Syed Najeeb Shah of PML (N) stood second with 8,741 votes.

In 1993, there were 15 candidates in the field, when voter turnout was recorded at 35 per cent, as 42,691 votes were cast out of 121,963 total registered voters. In the election, Dr Saghir Ansari of HPG was elected, bagging 29,382 votes, while Abdullah Sachwani of the PPP was the runner up with 10,451 votes.

In 1990, there were only three candidates in the race, and voter turnout was 44.71 per cent, when 52,129 votes were cast against 116,597 total registered voters. In the election, Mohammad Abdul Jalil was declared elected, securing 39,726 votes, while Abdullah Sachwani of the PDA came in second with 9,678 votes.

The 1988 elections in the area turned out to be a fight between 18 candidates, with the turnout recorded at 47.88 per cent, when 52,845 votes were cast out of 110,375 registered voters. Tariq Javed of HPG was declared the winner by securing 32,164 votes. He was followed by Ghulam Allana of PPP who bagged 11,235 votes.

PA-117 — which is mostly spread over the old PA-92 — covers the localities of PIB Colony, Jehangir Road, Jamshed Quarters, Pakistan Quarters, Patel Para, Garden East and Parsi Colony. The total population in the area is 221,182, with 120,061 registered voters, including 65,136 male and 54,925 female voters.

In the October elections, out of 16 candidates in he field, the contest is likely between Syed Mustafa Kamal of MQM and Ghulam Abbas Panjwani of MMA. Others in the run are Aamir Abdul Razzaq (Lota), Adeb Ahmad Siddiqui (Racket), Mohammad Farooq Fazlani (Arrow), Shaik Abdul Ahad (Helicopter), Sardar Mushtaq Ahmad (Telephone), Mohammad Amin Kiyani (Tiger), Qadeer Ahmad Abbasi (Table Lamp), Hameed-uz-Zafar (Apple), Abdullah Sachwani (Fan), Noor Ahmed Khan (Jug), Iqbal Mahmood Shah (Lock), Zafar Ahmad Advocate (Scooter), Mohammad Aslam Qureshi (Bat) and Mohammad Amin Kiyani (Tractor).

In the 1997 elections, among the 13 candidates, Mohammad Arif Siddiqui of HPG was elected by securing 21,783 votes from the turnout of 37,897 voters against 150,978 registered voters, indicating a percentage of 25.24. He was followed by Jabir Moti of PML (N) who bagged 11,930 votes.

In 1993, there were 15 candidates in the run, while registered voters were 135,553, and turnout on polling day was 30.82 per cent, as 41,781 votes were cast. Mohammad Arif Siddiqui of HPG was elected securing 35,307 votes, while Sathi Ishaque of PPP was the runner up with 2,546 votes.

In the 1990 elections, seven candidates were in the field. Saleem Ahmad of HPG was elected securing 43,267 votes, when turnout was 52,191 out of 125,510 registered votes, indicating a 41.58 per cent turnout. He was followed by Altaf Shakoor of IJI who bagged 6,484 votes.

In the 1988 elections, Ghulam Murtaza Durrani of HPG — who contested as an independent candidate — was returned to the assembly out of 16 candidates by securing 39,170 votes out of the 53,963 turnout, indicating 45.03 per cent of 119,830 registered voters. He was followed by Saleemuddin of PPP who bagged 7,351 votes.