KARACHI, Dec 10: Candidates of the Muttahida Quami Movement won on Saturday the by-elections in two Sindh Assembly constituencies in Karachi with a massive margin, according to the unofficial results. Dr Saghir Ahmed of the Muttahida bagged 37,231 out of total registered 121,715 votes in PS-117 Karachi-XXIX, while ARD candidate, Pir Abdur Rasheed got 2,294 votes. Independent candidate Habibur Rashid secured 152 votes.

A total of 39,914 or 32.7 per cent votes were cast in the constituency comprising PIB Colony, Amynabad, Clayton Quarters, Jamshed Quarters, Jehangir Road, Martin Quarters, Usmania Mohajir Colony, Pakistan Quarters, Islam Nagar, People’s Colony, Mohammadi Colony, Mustafa Colony, Patel Para, Garden East, Soldier Bazaar, Parsi Colony, Catholic Colony, etc. Of them 237 votes were rejected.

The PS-117 seat had been vacated by Syed Mustafa Kamal of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement following his election as city nazim of Karachi in the recently-held local government election while PS-120 had fallen vacant due to the death of Ali Bin Hamid Zaidi of MQM.

Muttahida’s Nishat Mohammad Zia Qadri emerged victorious with heavy lead for the PS-120 Karachi XXXII, bagging 56738 out of total 143,001 registered votes. ARD candidate Ahmed Waseem Alvi got 1,304 votes and independent candidate Mohammad Rashid secured 385 votes.

A total of 58,903 or 41.19 per cent votes were polled in the constituency stretching over the localities of Natha Khan Goth, Shah Faisal Colony, Pak Sadat Colony, Massan Ghat, New Iqbal Colony, Reta Plot, Green Town, Asifabad, Morio Khan Goth, Golden Town, Punjab Colony, etc.

The election commission had initially announced by-election on three Sindh Assembly seats, which included PS-106. However, Khalid Bin Wilayat of the MQM returned unopposed to this seat as his rivals withdrew from the contest on the last day for the withdrawal of candidature. Before their withdrawal, nomination papers of the ARD candidate were rejected during scrutiny on technical grounds. The PS-106 had fallen vacant due to the election of MQM’s Kanwar Naveed Jamil as nazim of Hyderabad.