KARACHI, Oct 4: The National Assembly seat NA-257 is mainly an urban-rural mix, comprising areas earlier falling in Malir’s main constituency i.e. NA-196 which has been bifurcated into NA-256 and 257.

The bifurcation of NA-196 has deprived the urban hub of the constituency of the usual electioneering and related hustle and bustle that used to be witnessed in the previous elections, especially in Malir City, Khokhrapar and Kala Board areas.

Now half of Malir stands included in the Shah Faisal Colony constituency and the rest is included in the new rural-urban setup.

The constituency has the second highest number of registered voters in Karachi i.e. 256,197. Here the male voters are 144,800, the second highest in Karachi followed by NA-258. The female registered voters are 111,397.

The total number of registered voters in the constituency in 1997 polls was 2,88,980. The total population of the constituency is 499,852.

Areas falling in the constituency are: Malir Cantonment, Kausar Town, Khokhrapar 1, 2, 3, 4, adjoining goths, Saudia Colony, Kausar Town, Khokhrapar’s E. Area, Kachchi Para, Cattle Colony, Qazaffi Town, Quaidabad, Mohabbat Nagar, Sahibdad goth and goths in the Town Committee Gujro.

Apart from the settled localities falling under the city govt and the Cantonment Board, there are a large number of goths and kachchi abadies. The constituency has an ethnic mix where Memons, Balochs, Kachchis, Sindhis and Urdu-speaking people live in scattered pockets.

Traditionally the seat NA-196 had been occupied by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement since the 1988 elections, except for one NA polls when the Muttahida had boycotted the polls.

Here the main fight is between the Muttahida Majlis Amal, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the PML-QA.

Although banners, flags and posters are visible in certain pockets, at several places these have been addressed to unconcerned constituents owing to lack of knowledge on the part of the party supporters about the NA limits.

A lot of confusion persists in this constituency as far as limits are concerned. The candidates, their volunteers and sympathisers are lurching in the dark in the absence of a proper availability of the map of this constituency.

This constituency comprises highly volatile localities of Karachi where in election frenzy all values of human dignity were trampled in the past. MNA Rehan Omar Farooqi and DSP Kiyani were among several other political activists who lost their lives in the frenzy.

This is the constituency where, in the previous polls, the Muttahida activists were brought in army escorts and settled in at Liaquat Market for the 1993 elections.

The constituency changed the entire political spectrum in the city and prompted the MQM to boycott the 1993 elections after the killing of two of its workers, although the decision was criticised in all width and breath by those having a keen eye on politics.

Because the locality witnessed riots in the past,the Muttahida Majlis Amal has raised the slogan of “peace”, pushed Osama Razi, a heavyweight of the party and former student leader, in the fray.

This time, all major electioneering is being done by the PPP, the Muttahida Majlis Amal, the Mohajir Qaumi Movement and the PML-QA.

There is a strong support base of the PPP at Mohabbat Nagar, in Khokhrapar No 4, Chaman Colony, and in E-Area there are Kachchi Memons who support the PPP. In Marvi goth, Cattle Colony along the National Highway, the MMA, PML-N, PML-QA and MQM have a mix support base in different pockets, while in the urban hub, there is a support for either Muttahida or Haqiqi. In the limits of Town Committee Gujro, the PPP has a strong support base because of the presence of goths. This time, the MQM has also the support of the JSQM in the villages.

A total of 14 candidates are in the run. The PPP’s nominee is Sardar Akhtar Hussain Advocate; Osama Razi is contesting from the Muttahida Majlis Amal platform, while the MQM’s Shamim Siddiqui and the PML-N’s Fahim Siddiqui are also in the fray. Qamar Niaz is aspiring to win the seat from the Mohajir Qaumi Movement platform.

However, the election results may be determined by the formation of any future election alliances or seat adjustments made by the parties.

The urban areas of this constituency falling in the district city government are very much politically conscious.

In the 1997 elections, Mohammad Farrukh Naeem Siddiqui of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement won the elections with 44,394 votes. He was followed by Abdullah Murad of the PPP who secured 14,169 votes. Rahila Tiwana of the PML-N bagged 11,127 votes while Waqar Ahmed Farooqi of the MQM Haqiqi bagged 1,528 votes.

In 1993 polls boycotted by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Sher Mohammad Baloch of the PPP won the seat with 23,687 votes. He was followed by Aleem Adil Sheikh of the PML who bagged 12, 824 votes.

In 1990 polls, Waseem Ahmed of the Haq Parast Group bagged 90,337 votes, while Sardar Akbar Ali Baloch of the PDA secured 40,983 votes.

In 1988 elections, Waseem had secured 73,662 votes. In these polls, Syed Saghir Hussain Jafri of the PPP secured 32,013 votes. Shehzada Tariq of PPIS secured 15,057 votes.

Provincial Assembly: There is an overlapping of two seats while the fourth seat is shared with another NA constituency.

PS 127: Abdullah Murad of the PPP is facing the MQM’s Shahbaz Hussain, Mohammad Sagheer of the MQM Haqiqi, Mohammad Afzal of the PML-QA, Syed Musharraf Ali of the Muttahida Majlis Amal. Here a total of 16 candidates are in the run.

PS 121: Hameeduz Zafar, who previously won the PS 100 seat from Shah Faisal Colony from the MQM’s platform, is now facing Inamullah Khan of the Muttahida Majlis Amal, a senior Haqiqi leader Mohammad Sharif Khan, Moizul Hasan of the PML-QA and Mirza Maqbool Ahmed of the PPP. Thirteen candidates are in the run.

PS-126: Twenty-five candidates are in the run in this constituency, with Mohammad Younus Bari of the Muttahida Majlis Amal facing Baloch Khan of the PPP, Abdul Malik of the PML QA, Zainul Abideen Ansari of the PML-N, Hashmat Khalid advocate of MQM Haqiqi, Nadeem Maqbool of MQM and Zafar Ahmed Khan of Pakistan Tehrik Insaf.

PS 128: Naeem Adil Shaikh, a brother of Alim Adil Sheikh, from the platform of the PML-QA, is facing 19 candidates. Ahsanullah Ashraf Hazarvi is contesting from the MMA platform. Tariq Khan is representing the PML-N. Qadir Bux belongs to the PPP and Shoaib Akhtar from the MQM.

The areas falling in this constituency, NA-257 Karachi XIX (Old District Malir), are:

Malir Cantonment: Cantt Bazar Area, Haji Noodo Khan goth, Abdur Rahu goth, Haji Samano Yar Mohammad goth, Sadi Town, Haji Zikaria goth, Waro Jokhio, etc. Defence Housing Society Phase-I and II and C.D. Houses, Domel Lines, Lahore Lines, Jhehlum Lines, Bostan Ziarat, Gujrat Lines, Larkana Lines, Military Dairy Farms, Sukkur Line, Pishin Line, Quetta Line, Peshawar, Nowshera, Abbottabad and Multan Lines, Haji Ismail goth, Haji Soomar Goth, Gulshan-i-Umair, Bilawal Jokhio goth, Syed Village, Race Course Ground and Flats

Gujro Town Committee: Maimar Complex along with goths, Ayub goth, Lasi goth, Chutto goth, Gabol goth, Al-Azam Town, Pioneer Town, Al-Asif Square, Bakkhar goth, Sikandar goth, A-One Apartments, Gul Dasht Apartments, Falaknaz Apartments, Jauhar Complex, College of Physical Education, Rufi Homes, Bleez Arcade, Sachal Goth, Manora goth, Mohammad Khan goth, PCSIR Laboratories, All goths of Deh Doozan, Bhittaiabad, Dhani Bux goth.

Sahibdad goth, Millat Villas, Jinnah Colony, Mohammadi Colony, Khursheed Begum Town Sector 8-A, B and 9-A, Madina Colony, Mandra goth.