KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is stepping up preparations for the upcoming cantonment board elections and expressing confidence in securing strong results across the province.
The previous elected bodies of cantonment boards across the country completed their term in April and elections are due to be held later this year.
A meeting to discuss preparations for the upcoming cantonment board elections was held here on Saturday under the chairmanship of PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and was attended by PPP Sindh General Secretary Senator Waqar Mehdi and other leaders from Karachi and Sindh.
Talking to Dawn, Mr Mehdi said the meeting aimed to review preparations for the elections and finalise the party’s strategy for an important electoral contest.
Party says it will field candidates with strong standing and reputation and mount a vigorous campaign across Sindh
He said the PPP would participate in the cantonment elections across Sindh “with full force” and would mount a vigorous campaign to secure good results and give its opponents a strong contest.
“Morale is high for good results and a strong contest. The journey of public service will continue in line with the vision of [PPP] chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari,” he added.
The senator said the party had already invited applications from prospective candidates and the scrutiny process was under way. The PPP leadership, he added, would nominate candidates after assessing their profiles, reputation and commitment to the party.
“We have already sought applications from candidates. These are being scrutinised. People and workers with a good reputation and strong standing will be nominated as candidates,” he said.
Senator Mehdi said the party would subsequently launch a full-fledged election campaign, indicating that the PPP intended to treat the cantonment elections as a serious political contest rather than a routine local poll.
The meeting was also attended by PPP Karachi President and provincial minister Saeed Ghani, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, PPP Karachi General Secretary Javed Nagori, Karachi Information Secretary Sharmila Faruqi, provincial minister Najmi Alam, District South PPP leaders Taimur Siyal and Mirza Ikhtiar Baig and other office-bearers.
The PPP’s renewed focus on cantonment politics comes against the backdrop of the party’s improved performance in the previous cantonment board elections in Karachi.
In the 2021 elections, the PPP emerged as the second-largest party in terms of seats, winning 11 of the 42 seats contested across Karachi’s six cantonment boards, compared with just three seats in the previous cantonment elections. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had won 14 seats, while the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) secured five.
The results had nevertheless revealed significant shifts in Karachi’s electoral landscape. In Cantonment Board Clifton, traditionally regarded as a difficult constituency for the PPP, the party won four of the 10 seats, while PTI and JI secured two each.
The 2021 results also highlighted the growing competition among the PPP, PTI and JI amid the weakening electoral presence of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
“Public service is our priority, and we will continue this journey,” Senator Mehdi said, adding that the party would take its message of development and service to voters during the election campaign.
He said the party was confident that its organisational preparations and connection with the people would help it perform strongly in the cantonment elections. The PPP would field suitable candidates and conduct a vigorous campaign once the final candidates were selected, he added.
Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2026
