September 24, 2002	Tuesday	Rajab 16, 1423

KARACHI, Sept 23: After visiting various areas of NA-250, (former NA-191) which include posh localities of Defence and Clifton, as well as middle class localities and katchi abadis, one gets the feeling that the contest would primarily be between People’s Party Parliamentarians and the Muttahida.

From this constituency, Haq Parast Group and PML have won twice each in the four elections held since 1988. This constituency also includes two provincial assembly seats PS-112 and 113.

People from all over Pakistan, whether rich or poor have made their abode in the constituency.

In 1988 an independent candidate with the backing of MQM had won after securing 48 per cent of the total votes polled. The PPP was the third with only 16pc votes. In 1990 elections the HPG secured 53 per cent votes whereas IJI bagged 26 per cent and PPP got 22 per cent. In 1993, PML secured 64 per cent as the MQM boycotted the NA elections. The PPP secured 20 and the Pakistan Islamic Front (PIF) had obtained 16 per cent votes. In the 1997 elections, the PML retained the seat with 52 per cent of the votes cast, and the HPG was the runners up with 41 per cent and the PPP had secured a minimal 7pc.

It will be an interesting contest for the NA seat because a former provincial governor, a senator, businessmen and a former mayor are among the candidates trying to win majority of the 2,05,000 registered votes, 85,000 of whom are women.

For the National Assembly seat, the PPP had fielded a new entrant Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig who has done a doctorate in Business Administration and is chairman of the Baig Group of Industries. Electioneering in the absence of the party chairperson Benazir Bhutto and to improve upon the dismal performance in 1997 elections will be a big challenge. His main thrust is on the bread and butter issues as well as the need for taking certain economic measures at micro and macro level to generate employment and exports and provide better education, health-care and other civic amenities.

His main opposition is from seasoned political activist and a deputy convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, former senator Nasreen Jaleel, who would like to win the constituency for her party after a gap of about nine years. Muttahida has been hitting at the basic problems being faced by the common man, injustices done to the people of Sindh. The MQM is also advocating autonomy for the provinces in accordance with the 1940 resolution.

Former Sindh governor Mamnoon Hussain is contesting from PML(N) platform but he is handicapped by a split in the party as a consequence of the military take-over of Oct 12, 1999, and exclusion of some areas which had helped Capt. Haleem Siddiqui win the 1997 elections, surprisingly defeating the Jamat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed.

Former Karachi mayor Abdul Sattar Afghani is the candidate of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal which is advocating for peace and amity and has made its views known on government’s pro-American policies.

The PML(Q) has put up former chairman Export Promotion Bureau, Wajid Jawad. The others who are in the field include Ovais Siddique Jangra, S.M. Altaf, Khalid Kamal, Raja Arif Sultan Minhas, Syed Javed Umar, Syed Kamal Shah, Tahir Sharif Khan, Surraiya Rahim, Nazir Ibrahim Shaikh and Noor Mohammad.

This constituency is also multi-faceted because it includes areas of two cantonment boards, i.e. Clifton and Karachi Cantonment boards, besides city government areas. Ethnic affiliation and biradari linkages would play decisive role despite political affiliation.

The complexion of the newly-delimited constituency from what in the past was NA-191 is a challenging task for activists of the contesting parties and much would depend on their ability to convince the voters to come out and cast his of her vote. Apparently those who have a better network would win.

NA-250 Karachi-XII include Charge No. 17 which has 13002 voters. It include areas of Aram Bagh Police Station, Habib Bank Plaza, Sindh Madressah, Sawami Narain Temple etc of Seraj Quarters, Bottle Gali, Light House, Siraj Quarters (Part) Pakistan Chowk, Railway Colony City Station. (Part)

In Charge No. 22 there are 31329 voters. It is spread over Ratan Talao (Part), Urdu Bazar Area, Preedy Thana Quarters, Aram Bagh(part) Burns Road (part) and Parsi compound.

Charge No. 23 has 22082 voter in parts of Saddar, Preedy, Bohri Bazar, Lucky Star, Zahid Nihari Wala area, Pak Secretariat, Allahwali Colony, Electronic Market, A.M. Quarters.

In Charge No.24 there are 56776 voters and it include part of Burns Road, Burns Garden, Sindh Assembly / Secretariat, K.E.S.C. Gharibabad, Kashmir Mujahid Colony, Police Staff Quarters, PIDC House, State Life Building etc of Artillery Maidan area. Governor House, Chief Minister House, Bagh-i-Quaid-e-Azam, Qasre-e-Naz, Daudpota Road, Civil Lines, area.

There are about 52154 voters in Charge No. 25 which include Bath Island, GOR Colony, Tekri Colony, Frere and Clifton, Meherabad, Teen Talwar, Railway Quarters, Reti Lane, Kehkashan Clifton Block No.7 & 5 Mohatta Palace, Old Clifton, Shah Rasool Colony .

Charge No. 26 comprise of 46975 registered voters who are located in Shireen Jinnah Colony, Gizri, Kehkashan Colony Block- 1, Clifton Block-2 (Part), Mazar Abdullah Shah Ghazi and Clifton (Part) Block-4, Tourist Complex etc. Clifton Garden I, & II, Bagh-e-Ibn-e-Qasim, Kehkashan Bl-3.

Karachi Cantonment includes P.W.D. Officers Flats, Amin Mansion, Superwala Compound, Mughal Chambers Holy Family Hospital, Makki Masjid, H.Q Cost Guards, Yasin Plaza, Asif Plaza, Habib Girls School, IBA Depot Lines, Islamic Club, Army Officers Bungalows, Prince Cinema, Al-Amna Plaza, Sea Breeze Hospital, Seventh Day Hospital, Mayfair Centre, City View Flats, Grammar School.

Karachi Cantt also includes Rainbow Centre, Allahwala Hall, Central Brooks Memorial Church etc. Court View Apartments, Goethe Institut, Hyderi Public School, Board Office, Karachi Cantonment Lakson Square, Karachi Press Club, Military Accounts Office, State Life Building, Trinity Church, Rainbow Centre, Service Club, Panorama Centre, Avari Towers, Staff Lines, Officers Mass, Kamal Hospital, Chinese Consulate Bizerta Line (Part) Hospital Jinnah, Jinnah Hospital, St. Patrick School, Saddar Church, Parsi Institute and & Gymkhana, Naval Police Barracks, Commander Karachi, H.Q. Hockey Club, National Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases, Civil Aviation Authority, Sweeper Colony, Sea Breeze Plaza, Dadabhoy Saddar, Police Station and Flats, Regent Plaza (Hotel) Gora Qabristan, Naval Residences, Aisha Bawany Academy, Muslim Colony, Finance and Trade Centre, Umer Farooq Colony, Public School and Military areas and residences etc.

Clifton Cantt-I comprises D.H.A. Phase-II Extension Commercial Area and Extension Central Area Phase-II, D.H.A. Phase-III Navy Colony, DHA-I (Part) Parsi Colony, Masoom Shah Colony No.2.

Clifton Cantonment-II include parts of Hazara Colony, Garden Apartments, Railway Colony(P) P.N Shifa Road to Hazara Road, Hazara Road to Railway Workshop, Pakistan Jamhooria Colony. Punjab Colony (Part) & Gabol Colony.

Clifton Cantonment-III, include Dehli Colony No.1 Bazar Area, Street No.6 to 20 Dehli Colony No.2 (Tin Shed) and Madniabad. Dehli Colony No.3 Nai Basti and Chandio Village P & T Colony & Kehkashan Scheme-(P) Neelam Colony and Bukhshan Village.

In Clifton cantonment-IV, DHA, Phase -VII, DHA, Phase-IV, DHA, Phase-V, Zamzama Boulevard and 26th street, DHA Phase-VI, DHA Phase-V extension and Sea View Villas, Darakhshan village upto City School are included.

Clifton Cantonment-V include SRE-1 Naval, Tansil; camp, Race Course, PNS Haider and Ek-Ek School.

PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY: From PS-112 which includes the whole of Clifton, Shireen Jinnah Colony, Shah Rasool Colony, Bath Island, Hijrat Colony, Cantonment Railway Colony, City Railway Colony, Pakistan Chowk, Burns Road, Gari Khatta etc, the PPP has fielded Syed Najmi Alam, who resigned as Nazim UC-10 to contest elections. Syed Shakir Ali of Muttahida Qaumi Movement is his main rival.

The PML(N) has fielded Ch. Mohammad Iftekharul Hameed Tariq. Syed Rahim Shah is PML(QA) candidate while Syed Abid Ali Jaferi is representing Mohajir Qaumi Movement. Saleem Hussain Qureshi has been put up by the Sunni Tehrik who could undermine the votes of both the Muttahida and religious parties. Both the PPP and the MQM have strong vote bank areas and much would depend on their ability to swing katchi abadis and minority votes.

In 1988, an independent backed by the MQM had won the seat and Punjabi-Pushtoon Ittehad was the nearest rival and the PPP candidate was the third. In 1990, Afzal Muneef of the HPG had won the IJI and PPI’s candidates.

In 1993, when religious parties and the PML had parted ways Capt Mohammad Ali of MQM was the winner after defeating PIF and PPP candidates. In 1997, however, religious parties quietly supported PML’s Salim Zia to win against the MQM and PPP candidates.

Raja Kamran Khan is the PPP candidate from PS-113 which includes whole of Clifton Cantonment Board which comprises Dehli Colony, Punjab Colony, Kalapul, Doli Khatta, Jinnah Hospital area and Saddar etc.

The MQM has put up Syed Akhtar Mehdi Bilgirami whereas the MMA has fielded Khwaja Sharful Islam. Adnan Asad, whose supporters claim he is related to Gen Pervez Musharraf, is also contesting for the provincial assembly seat.

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