KARACHI: MQM-Pakistan’s senior leadership is preparing for the impending elections in several seats, with political commentators forecasting intense competition and claiming that the pendulum might swing in either direction given the new electoral dynamics.
Key MQM-Pakistan members, including Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, are running for important seats.
Siddiqui is running for NA-248, Senior Deputy Convener Syed Mustafa Kamal for NA-242, and Dr. Farooq Sattar for NA-244 and NA-241.
In the 2018 elections, Faisal Vawda of the PTI won this seat by a paltry 300 votes. In a following by-election, PPP’s Qadir Mandokhel won, albeit a close race with PML-N’s Miftah Ismail.
The present electoral situation in NA-242 comprises candidates from the MQM-Pakistan, PML-N, TLP, PPP, PTA, and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Despite efforts by the PML-N leadership to back the MQM-Pakistan, the latter has kept their candidate for this seat, leaving the outcome unknown.
Similarly, MQM-Pakistan’s Senior Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar will run in NA-244, where PTI’s Aftab Jehanagir won in 2018.
The entrance of MQM-Pakistan’s senior leaders predicts a competitive race with candidates from many parties, including the PTI, TLP, and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Dr. Farooq Sattar is also running for NA-241, a seat that has changed since the delimitation process.
The outcome is uncertain, considering the participation of strong challengers from the Tehreek-e-Insaf, MQM, TLP, and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The approaching elections would pit MQM senior leaders Mustafa Kamal and Farooq Sattar against formidable opponents. Siddiqui is running in NA-248, where PTI’s Aslam Khan won in 2018. This constituency, formerly considered a bastion of the MQM-Pakistan, has become a battleground, with challengers including PTI’s independent candidate Arsalan Khalid, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Muhammad Babar Khan, PPP’s Muhammad Hasan Khan, MQM Haqiqi’s Naveed Hasan, and TLP’s Muhammad Amjad Ali.
To summarize, MQM-Pakistan’s senior leadership is involved in difficult electoral contests across Karachi’s seats. The competition is likely to be fierce, with the results being keenly anticipated on February 8. The party will face stiff opponents in these key seats, putting its electoral strength to the test.
Iqra Khan