Karachi: Many candidates of MQM Pakistan, People’s Party and Muslim League (N) on the 22 seats of the National Assembly in Karachi do not belong to the constituency from which they are contesting.
Nominated candidates of political parties for New Karachi, Korangi, Liaquatabad, Baldiya Town and other constituencies deprived of basic facilities have come to fight elections from other areas, not residents of this constituency. 12 candidates from 3 major political parties belong to posh areas like Defense and Clifton.
According to the information submitted to the Election Commission, out of the 19 out of 22 seats of the National Assembly of MQM Pakistan in Karachi, only 7 candidates have their residential addresses in the same constituency from which they are contesting.
Fauzia Hameed is a candidate for the seat of Malir but is not a resident of this constituency. Javed Hanif is based in Defense but is contesting the election from Korangi seat NA 233. Amir Moin contested the election before Pirzada Korangi, but according to the records of the Election Commission, his residence is in Federal B area.
Dr. Farooq Sattar’s residence is in Eastern District, but he is contesting elections from 2 constituencies in Western and Southern District, one of his constituencies consists of backward areas like Sarjani, Manghopir. Arshad Abdullah, a resident of Wahra Defense, is a candidate in the election from Garden Show Market, Kharadar, Sadar Constituency NA 240.
Similarly, Mustafa Kamal NA-242 and Humayun Usman NA-243 are present in the National Assembly seats of Kemari, but both the candidates reside in Defense.
Out of the 21 National Assembly seats of the People’s Party in Karachi, 5 have their residences in Defense and Clifton, but their constituencies are poor and middle-class communities.
Ali Rashid is the candidate of People’s Party from NA-234 Korangi but his residence is Defence. Mohammad Hasan from Central and Khawaja Sohail Mansoor from NA-250 Central are the candidates whose residential addresses are mentioned in Defense in Form 31.
The Muslim League (N) has nominated candidates for 18 National Assembly seats in Karachi while supporting other parties on others. Shah Owais Noorani, supported by PML-N, is the candidate from NA-232. He is not a permanent resident of this constituency.
NA 233 Korangi candidate Zain Ansari resides in Sharqi district. Saleem Zia, who is contesting from NA-234 Korangi, is residing in Defence.
Most of the constituencies of the National Assembly in Karachi are suffering from basic problems like lack of water, sewage and roads, non-availability of schools, hospitals, but many candidates of different political parties in these constituencies are neither residents of this constituency nor those of these constituencies. They have constant connections with voters.
Many nominees of political parties managed to get tickets not on the basis of popularity in the constituency or on the basis of vote bank there, but on the basis of their position in their party.
Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated candidates for all 22 seats in Karachi. 21 of their representatives belong to the same constituency or district, however, a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate from NA-229 Malir, Mumtaz Hussain Sohto, is a resident of Khairpur district, according to Election Commission records.
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