KARACHI, May 9: The electioneering process reached its peak on Sunday before coming to close on midnight between May 10 and May 11. The four main parties in the final run up to the bye-elections are the Muttahida Qaumi Movement
, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League.
During the election campaign, rallies were held which were addressed by local leaders and candidates of MQM and MMA. In their speeches, they blamed each other for the deteriorating law and order situation.
The election commission, meanwhile, started dispatching election material with the exception of ballot papers to the respective returning officers. The commission also issued directives for maintaining the secrecy of ballot, fair play and transparency in the elections.
Bye-elections will be held on Wednesday on four National Assembly and two provincial assembly seats. The four NA constituencies, included NA-236 Sanghar, NA-240 Karachi II, NA-243 Karachi V, NA-246 Karachi VIII.
With the exception of NA-236, all seats had fallen vacant after resignations of MQM's MNAs Sarkaruddin, advocate, Sultan Ahmad Khan and Haji Azizullah Brohi. NA-236 had fallen vacant after the disqualification of MNA Mohammad Khan Junejo of the PML-F because of lack of proper educational qualifications.
PS-31 Khairpur seat had fallen vacant after MPA Bashir Ahmad Bhanban of the PML-F was disqualified and PS-127 Karachi XXXIX after the assassination of Abdullah Murad of the PPP.
In NA-236 Sanghar III, where seven candidates are in the run, the contest is likely to be held between Liaquat Ali Marri ( assigned the election symbol of Rose) of the PML and Mushtaq Ahmad Adil (Book) of MMA.
Mohammad Khan Junejo of the PML-F had won the seat in the general elections by securing 66,543 votes out of 133,829 valid votes polled. PPP's Fida Hussain Dero had secured 56,628 votes.
Nine candidates are in the field in NA-240 Karachi II (Baldia and Pak Colony) and the main competition is likely to be between Mohammad Abid Ali Umang (Kite) of the MQM and Qari Mohammad Osman (Book) of the MMA.
Sarkaruddin, advocate of the MQM had secured the NA-240 seat after securing 30,408 votes out of 86,444 valid votes polled against Maulana Sheerin Ahmad who pulled in 22,764 votes.
There are six candidates contesting for the NA-243 Karachi V seat (New Karachi and Surjani Town). But the main contest is likely to be between Abdul Waseem (Kite) of MQM and Hafiz Muhammad Taqui (Book) of the MMA.
Sultan Ahmad Khan of MQM had secured this seat after 62,245 votes out of 93,893 votes were polled in his favour against Salahuddin Qureshi who bagged 13,105 votes.
Nine candidates are running for the NA-246 Karachi VIII seat (Liaquatabad-Azizabad). But the seat is likely to be contested between Nisar Ahmad Panhwar (Kite) of MQM and Rashid Naseem (Book) of MMA.
Haji Azizullah Brohi had won the National Assembly seat by securing 53,134 votes out of 97,128 votes.
PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY: In the two constituencies of Sindh Assembly, PS-31 and PS-127, the main contest is likely to be held between nine and 11 candidates, respectively.
In PS-31 Khairpur III, the contest is likely to be held between Rafique Bhanban (Rose) of the PML and Shaukat Ali Rajpar (Arrow) of the PPP. The seat was captured by Bashir Ahmad Bhanban after securing 38,230 votes out of 67,414 votes in the general elections.
In PS-127 (Malir), the contest is likely between Mohammad Omar Jatt (Arrow) of the PPP and Yusuf Munir Shaikh (Kite) of MQM. The seat was secured in general elections by Abdullah Murad of the PPP after securing 21,771 votes.
According to an Election Commission press release, bye-elections to vacant seats of union nazims and naib nazims in various union councils would be held on June 7. Nomination papers for the same would be received May 13 while last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 27.
