KARACHI: NA-242: MQM dominates battleground of the have-nots
By Shamim-ur-Rahman
KARACHI, Oct 6: NA-242 has been created by splitting the former NA-185 into two where the total number of registered voters is 2,21,227. It is mainly inhabited by Urdu-speaking people, mostly migrants from the former East Pakistan. But Pakhtoons, Punjabis and Balochs also have their pockets.
This constituency also suffers from a lack of basic amenities as is the case with the neighbouring NA-241.
Residents here too are bitter over broken promises for ensuring uninterrupted clean water supply through the tap system, escape from prolonged power breakdowns, establishment of secondary and higher secondary schools, hospitals, and, above all, repair of dilapidated roads. In many areas there is no sewerage system and roads have disappeared gradually due to constant neglect.
Residents, who are being promised by the candidates a better future after the Oct 10 elections, are prone to hepatitis and other diseases due to unhealthy water supply, filth and environmental pollution.
Voters insist that those who would solve their problems would get their votes. People are not happy with the past performance of their elected representatives, but the politically sharp people are appalled by the state machinery’s propaganda of running down political activists.
They are also critical of police and allege that law-enforcers are in fact patronizing extortionists and those responsible for violence and terrorism. At the same time, they allege, the common man is suffering, especially women are exposed to hooligans.
A vast majority of the people have to travel long distances everyday in overcrowded minibuses, coaches and other modes of transport and their complain is that due to lack of proper roads and reckless driving, their lives are endangered. One of their demands is to get rid of the transport mafia. People also complain about the activities of drug pushers and gangs of hooligans, who are operating under the umbrella of police and some political activists.
The Urdu-speaking community has not been able to forget the nightmarish experience of ethnic frenzy, state’s oppressive policies and deliberate neglect of the constituency. They seem to be the worst sufferers of rising unemployment, increasing birth rate and declining facilities for education and health care. Some of them are still not prepared to accept the changed realities and are sticking to their old notions and perceptions.
They are bitter over the failure of their representatives even to raise voice for the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis. This factor will have a bearing on the voters’ mind in this and the neighbouring constituency.
In some areas one can notice graffiti of pro-Harkatul Mujahideen and Sipah- i-Sahaba on walls along with banners of political parties.
Other communities who also belong to the middle and lower-middle classes complain about the lack of an even playingfield. Although no major election- related violence has been reported from the area, tension is building up as the campaign enters the final lap.
One good thing this time is that parties have shown tolerance which is evident from flags hoisted side by side at various places.
The contest here would be between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the People’s Party Parliamentarians, though not so intense as the MQM (Muttahida) is banking on what its activists call the “Khamba votes.” The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal is also in the run. However, there are strong pockets of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement and the Sunni Tehrik, which could cause a dent in the vote-bank of both the MMA and the MQM (Muttahida).
Interestingly major contenders for the NA-242 seat have put up candidates who are considered “outsiders.” The MQM’s (Muttahida) Abdul Rauf Siddiqui is a resident of FB Area, whereas Khanzada Imran Khan of the PML (Q) and the PPP’s Dr Shakir Alam are now residents of Defence. The Sunni Tehrik’s Abdul Rauf is a resident of Nazimabad. Mohammed Ishaq of the MQM (Haqiqi), Saifullah of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik and Saifullah Khan are residents of the area. Some of the candidates such as that of the Parliamentarians is among those who shifted their residence from the area when violence was at its height here.
The MQM (Muttahida) is contesting from a platform which is focusing more on provincial autonomy in accordance with the 1940 Resolution, and has also pledged to scale down the prices of essential commodities and to create job opportunities.
The Parliamentarians are focusing on peace and amity and promising more job opportunities, better schooling and health care.
The MMA’s motto is “no violence, no terrorism (ethnic or sectarian), peace, no foreign intervention or interference. A sizable number of Pakhtoons also live in this constituency, and they are torn between ANP factions and the MMA. The MQM (Haqiqi) is targeting the Urdu-speaking pockets. The Sunni Tehrik is trailing behind the MMA, which is a conglomerate of religious parties.
PS-95 comprises localities inhabited by different ethnic entities. It is mainly spread over Qasba Colony where Pakhtoons, Urdu-speaking and Punjabis have a sizable population along with pockets of Balochs.
Here the MQM (Muttahida) has fielded Anwar Alam. The PML’s (Q) Mohammed Saleem, Sunni Tehrik’s Noor-ul-Huda, MQM’s (Haqiqi) Syed Shahid Ali and Nizam-i-Mustafa Party’s Mohammed Jan Alam Shah are also in the field.
PS-96 is also a blend of ethnic diversity that gives the MQM’s (Muttahida) candidate Iqbal Qadri an edge over others as the Urdu-speaking community is in a majority in the constituency. The SDA’s Abdul Wadood, PPP’s Jamil-ur-Rahman and MMA’s Amanullah Khan Niazi are also in the field.
Keeping a bulk of the party vote-bank in the pocket the MQM’s (Muttahida) Mohammed Husain Khan enjoys an edge over MMA’s Liaquat Ali Rahmani, PML’s (N) Syed Ali Fawad and PPP’s Abdul Khaliq Mirza.
Before NA-185 was fragmented, Salimul Haq of the MQM had won as an independent candidate with 82,310 votes in 1988.
In 1993 when the MQM boycotted NA elections, Afaq Shahid had won with 14,866 votes.
