The NA-249 constituency in Karachi, comprising areas like Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad and societies like Rizvia, Usmania, among others, has a reputation for being home to the city’s literary class, and a lesser known candidate from a newly-established party wants to put this community of letters on the electoral map.

Dr Syed Ali Salman of the Aam Log Ittehad, who is vying for a seat from NA-249 with electoral symbol ‘pencil’, is a medicine graduate from Hamdard University, with a postgraduate degree in marketing. He was born in Nazimabad which is a part of this constituency.

His party, led by retired Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed, is centred towards the representation of ‘common men’ in politics, actively advocating for the rights of the ‘abandoned city’ as he mentioned.

“I spent nearly all my life roaming in different areas of NA-249. My maternal family has been living in different parts of Nazimabad since 1960’s,” he told Dawn.

“This shows my longstanding association with the area and my roots with my constituency since I have walked in every street and bazaar of the area,” he added.

He started his career as a doctor and then worked in marketing for various pharmaceutical companies.

He has been politically and socially active since his teenage years. According to him, he actively supported all major political forces from time to time.

“I have supported MQM, JI, PTI and PML-N but to my disappointment, every big name ignored the city,” he said.

“Aam Log Ittehad is a party formed by common people for common men. This group of people we have formed under the leadership of Mr Ahmed, is highly educated and motivated to work towards the betterment of people.

Education, medical and environment are our priorities,“ he said, adding that ‘green politics’ is also a part of his manifesto.

“The party has a green agenda and is against any further loans and unnecessary expenses by the government so that inflation and related economic problems can be tackled,” he said, adding that elections are traditionally ‘a show of wealth and power’.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2024