KARACHI, Oct 2: Though the traditional election spark is still missing in the redesigned National Assembly constituency NA 243 — which solely comprises parts of North Karachi — it is believed that the candidate fielded by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement would finally steal the show.

Visits to different parts of North Karachi and the adjacent slum areas on Tuesday gave one the understanding that people in general were least concerned about the outcome of the election results. Voters and the elected members of the assemblies were the two main characters of democracy, but in our country, it was the assembly members who always reaped, while the voters were made to stay as silent spectators only, remarked a senior resident of Sector 5-A/2 of North Karachi.

Most parts of the ‘katchi abadi’s’ or shanty towns presented a depressing look. There is no proper water supply to these areas, while sewage is overflowing in the streets, said a resident of Shahnawaz Bhutto Colony, adding that “we do not see any silver lining, and it seems that the people at the helm of affairs would continue (to display) the laid back attitude in our case”.

The overall development and basic amenities situation in many sectors’ of North Karachi is also dissatisfactory. Every time we are promised a changed destiny, but on the ground, things are still similar to what it was like 10-20 years back, complained a citizen of Sector 5C-3.

NA-243 covers residents of the North Karachi areas of Sectors’ 1, 2 and 3, 5A-1, 2 and 3, 5A-4, 5B-1, 2, 3 and 4, and Shah Nawaz Bhutto Colony (katchi abadi); Sectors’ 5D (part), 5M (part), 5F (part), 6 C and D, Khamiso Goth (part) and Rajput Colony; Sectors’ 5J (part), 5E (part), 5L, Mustafa Colony, and the katchi abadi adjacent to Sector 5B; Sector 5G (part), commercial area near the graveyard and Sectors’ 12, 6 A and B; Ajmer Nagar and Sectors’ 4, 5C/1, 2, 3 and 4.

The constituency for the national assembly drawn out of NA-188 of the 1997 election comprised 250,457 voters. There are 138,307 male and 112,150 female voters.

The NA constituency encompasses two provincial assembly constituencies — PS 98 and 99. Each constituency has registered voters ranging from 110,000 to 125,000.

The election record of Muttahida in the area has been impressive so far. However, due to the advent of the Sunni Tehreek in the political arena, it is believed that Muttahida’s vote bank would further be reduced in the election, as viewed by local political observers.

Candidates from Muslim League (Q), People’s Party (Parliamentarian’s) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal are also in the run, but they are not a potential threat to Muttahida, both in the national and provincial assemblies election. These parties could exploit the situation in the katchi abadis and the adjacent goths comprising multi ethnic populations, but the number of registered voters is not close to that of the mainstream voters, i.e. the urdu speaking people.

But MMA workers claimed that their party would be able to put a dent in the Muttahida’s vote bank in the main population, as those who had crossed the fence some 10 years back had now started returning to their base.

Those who are contesting for the national assembly seat from NA-243 include Anwar Ahmad Khan (Arrow), Sultan Ahmad Khan (Kite), Mohammad Saleemuddin Advocate (Book), Badar Iqbal (Bicycle), Mohammad Shahid (Lock), Hafiz Fazal Karim Khan (Bat) and Mohammad Iftikhar Ahmad Bhatti (Table Lamp).

Sultan, familiar as S. A. Khan of the Muttahida, is originally a senior advocate from Mirpurkhas, and will be contesting for the first time for a national assembly seat. Iftikhar, a first rank leader of the Sunni Tehreek, is a resident of New Karachi and is likely to win the votes of his diehard followers in the area.

In all, 13 candidates are vying for the PS-98 seat, while another eight candidates for the PS-99 seat. It may be mentioned that the number of contenders for PS-99 is the lowest in any of the provincial assembly constituencies of the city.

According to a Muttahida worker, the Muttahida candidate, Qamar Mansoor, who was elected for the provincial assembly in 1993, would be able to sweep the constituency once again. It is likely that Mansoor would get around 85,000 votes, predicted the worker.

The records of winning candidates of PS-83, which now constitutes PS-99, are as follows; Syed Altaf Hussain — 59,573 (1988) votes, Syed Safdar Ali — 65,077 (1990), Syed Qamar Mansoor — 60,270 (1993) and Mohammad Yousuf Khan — 48,704 (1997).

The contestants for PS-99 are as follows: Abdul Khalid Anjum (Bicycle), Nasir Rizwan Khan Advocate (Book), Ghulam Sarwar Korai (Arrow), Mohammad Naved Salim (Tiger), Qamar Mansoor (Kite), Munir Hussain Qadri (Table Lamp), Abdul Aziz Khan (Tea Pot), and Ch Khursheed Anwar (Lock).

The candidates for PS-98 are as follows: Nisar Ahmad (Bat), Farah Aiwan (Tiger), Syed Sardar Ahmad (Kite), Dr Mohammad Nasir Khan (Arrow), Mohammad Jamil (Book), Mohammad Azhar Bhanbhorvi (Tractor), Ch Mohammad Hanif (Slate), Tasneem Niazi (Pen), Munawar Khan Qadri Advocate (Table Lamp), S. A. Nasir Ali (Lock), Abdul Karim (Cow), Shehnaz Ayub (Crescent) and Sultan Shahab Jahangir, alias Raja Sultan (Bicycle).

Syed Sardar, a retired civil servant, who had been the Chief Secretary Sindh and Commissioner Karachi in the past, is considered as part of Muttahida’s think tank. Party workers in the area are seeing the future chief minister of the province in him, provided that Muttahida is allowed to make the government in the province, said a keen observer, adding that the word “haq parast” still had the magic in it.

In the same constituency (PS-98), PML (Q) and PPP workers are sure that their respective candidates would be close contenders along with Muttahida’s candidates.