October 11, 2002	Friday	Sha'aban 4, 1423

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KARACHI, Oct 10: The vote in Sindh generally represented a rejection of the government policies as the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians bounced back and achieved a clear majority in the interior of the province.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement retained its majority in Karachi, though losing some ground to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, a conglomerate of six religio-political parties opposed to pro-US policies.

Though the PPP has gained a significant majority on the national and provincial assembly seats, some of its big names could not steer clear of the troubled waters, perhaps because of the absence of its leader Benazir Bhutto from the country.

Initially the voter turnout was low but as the day progressed, voters came out of their houses and used their right of franchise, including women.

The PPP, according to unofficial results, swept the polls in Larkana district. It appeared to have won all the four NA seats, but lost two provincial assembly seats in the district.

Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, president PPP Sindh chapter defeated his rival Jawed Mithani of NA and Ahmed Ali Shaikh, an independent candidate, from PS-36 (Larkana-II).

Altaf Hussain Unnar of PML(Q) had won from PS-35 (Larkana-I) defeating PPP’s Ghulam Serwar Siyal. On PS-37 (Larkana-III) where Amir Bakhsh Bhutto, son of Mumtaz Bhutto, was said to be having a neck-and-neck fight with his opponent.

According to unofficial results PPP was leading on four out of five seats of Hyderabad. Unofficial results of two national assembly and four provincial assembly seats of Ghotki reveal that candidates of PPP, National Alliance and Independents recorded significant leads.

Former chief minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Manzoor Wassan, and an ex-federal minister, Khurshid Shah, were leading with a big majority but former defence minister, Aftab Shahban Mirani lost to SDA’s candidate.

In Sukkur also, PPP was leading on all national and provincial assembly seats with a big margin.

The oil-producing southern Sindh also went to the PPP where it won both the NA seats in Badin and four out of five provincial seats.

But in Shikarpur and Thatta, PML-Q wiped out the PPP and other parties. The PPP made gains in Jacobabad, and Nawabsah but SDA claimed one national and one provincial assembly seats in Tharparkar.

In Karachi, Muttahida Qaumi Movement retained its control, though its supremacy was challenged by the MMA and other religious and ethnic groups. Most of its non-Urdu-speaking candidates were apparently in deficit.

Muttahida has generally retained its traditional seats in Karachi and the interior of Sindh.

Muttahida’s deputy convener Nasreen Jalil won from NA 250 but strong contest was reported from Hyderabad between another deputy convener, Aftab Ahmad Sheikh and his rival.

The trend reflected a clear cut divide between urban and rural Sindh which was indicative of the upcoming polarisation.

According to unofficial count, the MMA and MQM had won four seats each.