KARACHI: Rangers personnel deployed at a polling station in Karachi’s NA-246 constituency stand alert to avert any untoward incident. The by-election for the seat will be held on Thursday.—Online
KARACHI: Rangers personnel deployed at a polling station in Karachi’s NA-246 constituency stand alert to avert any untoward incident. The by-election for the seat will be held on Thursday.—Online

KARACHI: With all eyes set on the NA-246 by-election, over 350,000 voters are ready to exercise their right to franchise on Thursday amid unprecedented security.

Fourteen candidates are in the run, but prominent among them are Kanwar Naveed Jameel of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Imran Ismail of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Rashid Naseem of the Jamaat-i-Islami.

The level of involvement of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and JI Emir Sirajul Haq has turned what is just a simple by-election for one seat into an electoral battlefield of national importance.

The constituency – considered to be an MQM bastion because its headquarters Nine Zero is located there – was created as a result of delimitation for the 2002 general election. It comprises Federal B. Area, Federal Capital Area and parts of Liaquatabad.

The MQM emerged victorious on the seat in all three previous general elections, in 2002, 2008 and 2013 and in a by-election in May 2004.

According to official data, the biggest turnout – 63.07 per cent – was witnessed in the 2008 general elections and the lowest – 25.4pc – was recorded in the May 2004 by-election.

The seat fell vacant after MQM’s Nabeel Gabol resigned from the National Assembly.

The resignation set off an explosive chain of events. On March 10, the Election Commission of Pakistan announced the schedule for the by-election and the next day – on March 11 – the Rangers raided the MQM’s Nine Zero headquarters, arrested dozens of men, including most-wanted criminals. They claimed to have seized a cache of arms and ammunition.

Soon after, the PTI which till that time was undecided about its return to parliament and did not even contest the Multan by-election on a seat vacated by its then president Javed Hashmi, announced that it would contest the NA-246 by-poll against the MQM to ‘liberate the people of Karachi’ and “break the shackles of fear’.

To put pressure on the top MQM leadership, the powers that be leaked to media a video statement of death-row prisoner Saulat Mirza a few hours before his execution on March 19.

The election campaign began amid fears of violence. However, all the contesting parties demonstrated maturity and, except a few minor incidents, the campaign remained peaceful.

Imran Khan came to Karachi twice, spent a couple of days here, visited the famous Jinnah ground in Azizabad and addressed a public meeting at Shahrah-i-Pakistan.

The JI chief visited the city thrice, led election rallies and addressed two large public meetings, one of them exclusively for women.

And the London-based MQM chief addressed public meetings held daily at the Jinnah ground and a large gathering on the Liaquatabad flyover.

On the administrative and security front, the by-election is different from contests held earlier.

District returning officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers this time do not belong to the judiciary. For the first time, surveillance cameras have been installed inside polling booths on the recommendation of the Rangers. Pillion-riding has been banned in the entire district.

According to official figures, the number of voters in the 2013 general elections was 357,781 and 189,405 votes were polled with a turnout of 51.63pc.

MQM’s Nabeel Gabol won the seat by securing 137,874 votes. PTI’s Amir Sharjeel bagged 31,875 votes and JI’s Rashid Naseem 10,321.

In the 2008 general elections, the number of voters was 310,045 and 195,554 votes were polled with a turnout of 63.07pc.

MQM’s Sufyan Yousuf bagged 186,933 votes and emerged victorious against runner-up Sohail Ansari of the PPP who polled 6,741.

The PTI and JI had boycotted the 2008 general elections.

In the 2002 general elections, the number of registered voters was 261,736. The votes cast numbered 97,965 and the turnout was a mere 37.4pc.

MQM’s Azizullah Brohi got elected by securing 53,134 votes. JI’s Rashid Naseem, a candidate of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, was the runner-up with 32,879 votes.

A by-election was held on May 12, 2004, after Mr Brohi resigned.

MQM’s Nisar Panhwar won the election by securing 47,685 votes and MMA’s Rashid Naseem polled 16,895.

The total votes polled were a mere 66,420 and the turnout was 25.4pc.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2015

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