MQM, PTI & JI get allies in Karachi by-poll at 11th hour
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KARACHI: With just 24 hours away before electioneering comes to a halt for the NA-246 by-election, various political and religious parties announced their support for the candidates on Sunday.
The Ahle Hadith Council visited the headquarters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and announced its support for its candidate.
The Majils-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen stated its support for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz announced its “all-out” support for the Jamaat-i-Islami.
Read: Karachi's NA-246 by-poll: A three-way contest
According to a statement issued by the MQM spokesperson, the delegation of the Ahle Hadith Council was led by its head Allama Murtaza Khan Rehmani who met the MQM’s Ulema committee members and assured them of their support to Kunwar Naveed Jamil, the party’s candidate for NA-246.
Allama Rehmani appreciated MQM’s efforts in creating sectarian and religious harmony in the city and said that this was the reason they had decided to support its candidates in the by-poll.
Meawhile, addressing a press conference at the Wahdat House in Soldier Bazaar, MWM leader Ali Hussain Naqvi announced his party’s support for PTI candidate Imran Ismail, who was sitting beside him.
Mr Naqvi said that several political parties, including the MQM and the PTI, had contacted the MWM leadership and sought its support but the party decided in favour of the PTI in view of its plans for the betterment of Karachi.
He said the MWM would also take part in the PTI electioneering and appealed to voters to “vote for the PTI candidate to end the persistent fear and uncertainty prevailing in their midst”.
“The MWM and the PTI will wage a joint struggle until the ongoing sectarian violence and terrorism ends completely,” he said.
Additionally, the PML-N Sindh president Mohammed Ismail Rahu announced his party’s support for JI candidate Rashid Naseem at a press conference at the Muslim League House in which JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman was sitting beside him.
Mr Rahu said that the PML-N had decades-old close relations with the JI and was supporting the latter’s candidate on the much-hyped by-election keeping in view the better future of the city. He called upon other political parties to support JI’s candidate to bring about better social and economic changes in Karachi.
He said the PML-N would show its strength in the upcoming local government elections and elsewhere in Sindh.
The JI leader and the candidate thanked Mr Rahu for his party’s support and invited him to attend a rally in the constituency on Monday (today) which would be led by JI chief Sirajul Haq.
Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2015
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Comments (67) Closed
Apr 20, 2015 07:01am
I do not see PTI winning in a middle class or lower Karachi neighbourhood yet. Someone sponsored by Musharraf or even PML-N putting up a well-known, respected karachi-wala would stand a much better chance. Residents are sick of MQM, but when it comes to distrust, Imran Niazi trumps Altaf Husein.
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Apr 20, 2015 07:54am
What about PPP? Who do they support?
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Apr 20, 2015 07:54am
Chasing religious parties and yet these parties call themselves progressive, new and liberal parties.
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Apr 20, 2015 08:40am
Too much division in our society. This democracy is not going to work in Pakistan.
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Apr 20, 2015 08:43am
Wow! Ahl-e-Hadith supporting MQM!
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Apr 20, 2015 08:59am
I really upset when PTI spokesman Zulfiqar Shah said they will make whole Karachi Mianwali in TV talk show.
This is a racial comment.
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Apr 20, 2015 09:39am
Pti and JI, we knew they are all same.
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Apr 20, 2015 09:44am
only MQM will win the NA - 246 seat, no one else.
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Apr 20, 2015 10:14am
@Saima Khan This is not a racial comment but actually their plan. What advancement and progress had achieved so far that Karachi had follow Mianwali.
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Apr 20, 2015 10:51am
PPP's support to any has no importance.
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Apr 20, 2015 11:30am
@Khwaja I was surprised too. I'm Ahle Hadith, and did not know about it :D
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Apr 20, 2015 11:48am
PML(N), JUP, JUI(F) & JUI(S) all are supporting JI candidate Rashid Nasim. It looks like that JI will will this seat this time.
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Apr 20, 2015 11:54am
@Saima Khan
I agree with you but on the positive side it is good that all people of Karachi should see the true face PTI. It is the same as PPI (Panjabi, Puckhtoon Itehad) party from the 80s and 90s.
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Apr 20, 2015 11:57am
PTI has achieved its objectives. No go areas are being conquered by peaceful people. MQM might still get more votes from likes of a Thatta Resident who said that he will vote for PPP doesn't matter they didn't provide him drinking water for all these decades.
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Apr 20, 2015 12:00pm
@Saima Khan If MQM says that they will make Karachi another Hong Kong, will you call it racial comment.
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Apr 20, 2015 12:01pm
We have a tradition of NOT ACCEPTING the polling results whatsoever. It all started in 1964 when Fatima Jinnah was defeated by Ayub Khan, although Fatima Jinnah accepted the outcome of the elections, ZA Bhutto started agitation and brought the people on streets and since then after every election we hear the same old slogan: DHANDLI HOYEE HAI, MAIN NA MANOON.
In 1970, polling was fair but the end result of elections was "BREAKAGE OF THE COUNTRY" as ZA Bhutto again refused to accept the results, similarly in 1977, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008 or even 2013, we have been hearing the same slogans again and again. Unfortunately even in by-polls for any vacant seat of parliament, politicians have never accepted the outcome of polling/election, resulting in street violence and loss of property and life.
Hopefully this time our politicians don't play the same game and honor the peoples' decision.
GOD BLESS PAKISTAN - LONG LIVE PAKISTAN
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Apr 20, 2015 12:01pm
@rukhsar But with lesser votes and margin, and this is what needs to be established
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Apr 20, 2015 12:46pm
People's party to support MQM to have a better understanding in sindh
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Apr 20, 2015 01:08pm
At least all the Karachi is participating and with free will. This is win win for democracy. So PPP wins
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Apr 20, 2015 01:22pm
@Junaid Exactly. Surprising how they do many things without their micro sects approval?
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Apr 20, 2015 02:11pm
Whoever wins, we must show sportsman spirit and accept the defeat for the larger interest of our only country.
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Apr 20, 2015 02:33pm
@rukhsar How can you be so sure?
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Apr 20, 2015 02:43pm
@Saima Khan , I am not in politics and will never support IK or his party but on TV talk he meant Karachi will be peaceful like Mianwali. There is nothing racial.
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Apr 20, 2015 02:44pm
@Saima Khan I don't see it racism. Where do you find it? What about turning Karachi to Paris? Is it racists as well?
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Apr 20, 2015 02:51pm
Both PTI and JI committing mistake. They should have fight election jointly
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Apr 20, 2015 02:53pm
@Saima Khan If IK is doing so much (through his own efforts) to make cancer hospitals, schools and universities, police reforms etc YES this could be an example for Karachi. What has PPP/MQM done in last few decades? Interior Sindh is still like stone age, Karachi has turned into mafia. The beneficiaries in Sindh are leaders from PPP/MQM while the situation of the masses has been deteriorating.
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Apr 20, 2015 03:07pm
@shelly PTI may know they might not win from this constituency but they want to prove something out. MQM has been using thappa's all over Karachi and Hyderabad and they wont be able to do it this time. Mark my words, its going to be a new proportion of MQM v anti MQM votes this time, the former will go down and the latter up in number. This will be a new beginning and in next free/fair elections, MQM may still retain NA-246 but they will lose many seats to PTI.
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Apr 20, 2015 03:43pm
@rukhsar Ironically, true
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Apr 20, 2015 03:53pm
PTI is already trying to salvage by offering the lowest common denominators as mark of their 'success'. First, it was that losing or winning a seat does not matter, this gem coming from their chief's mouth. Now any drop in the number of votes mqm garner will be trumped as an 'achievement'. Let's see what other straws they come up with by 23rd!
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Apr 20, 2015 04:03pm
MQM will win with huge margin mark my word.Interesting thing is to see how much PTI will pocket votes as compared to previous 31 k, but it seems difficult because due to the boycott of JI, PTI got 31 k but now JI is out there.
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Apr 20, 2015 04:31pm
Minus the fear of violence and backlash, NA-246 will define the new norms of "pitched battle"
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Apr 20, 2015 05:07pm
What are these Mullahs doing interfering with the right of people to elect their member. Why don't they go home and leave the people in peace.
They have no interest in the choice of the voters.
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Apr 20, 2015 05:31pm
I really fail to understand this nonsense logic of PTI that we may not win but we conquered MQM's base. Or MQM will win but lesser margin. Or... we contested MQM in their bastion. Well PTI has accepted their loss already, margin makes no difference. And there has always been more than 2 contestants against MQM in NA246 in every elections ... only to lose. What a waste of time and money on an already lost battle.
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Apr 20, 2015 05:45pm
I have never heard of a political party using the winning party's margin of victory as a sign of victory in itself. Listen, PTI needs to accept the fact that urban areas of Sindh (Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas) are dominated by Urdu-speaking Mohajirs, and the majority of Mohajirs have a long and devout devotion to MQM based on their Mohajir identity. There is nothing wrong with that, and honestly, when MQM was given "real" administrative power in the city government, it delivered the 2nd best mayor in the world and turned Karachi into a mega city in only a few years. I will vote for the first time, and my vote will be for MQM.
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Apr 20, 2015 05:54pm
Half of KPK is no go area where nobody can even enetr. What steps PTI has taken to remove those no go areas. Have they eradicated polio from KPK? What is the literacy rate? crime rate? are they performing well. PTI has badly failed in KPK because they are unorganized People have karachi already have a very organized party to work with. So go back to Mianwali.
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Apr 20, 2015 06:27pm
I am a Karachi resident but not a NA-246 voter. I just want to state that PTI had an excellent opportunity to present its manifesto to the most educated population of Pakistan, however, it not only failed miserably, but the only thing they did was agitate the people by taking below the belt shots at MQM and Altaf Hussain, they got involved in unnecessary confrontations (Jinnah Ground incident), and then they focused way too much on MQM, instead of presenting their vision for Karachi. I'm sorry to say, but MQM is by clear and convincing terms, more organized, disciplined, well-mannered, and a party with a clear vision for Karachi. All Karachi people know that MQM has some criminal elements and is involved in some bhatta, HOWEVER, people also know that this is very difficult for the party command to control, considering MQM has thousands of workers and volunteers. I'm not saying that MQM is perfect, but for now, it is the only clear choice for Karachi people.
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Apr 20, 2015 06:42pm
@shelly I belong from NA246 and my entire family will vote for PTI InshAllah. PTI has broken the shackles of fear in the area!!
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Apr 20, 2015 06:51pm
@Sadaf
excellent analysis
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Apr 20, 2015 07:03pm
@Khwaja and WOW... MWM is supporting PTI...How Strange !
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Apr 20, 2015 07:04pm
@jehanzeb Yeah Right...
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Apr 20, 2015 07:05pm
@sabiha Can you actually compare Hong Kong with Mianwali?
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Apr 20, 2015 07:10pm
@Viking Star ...Record should be corrected. What you see in Karachi now in terms of infrastructure and development was done under Mustafa Kamal during Gen PM's era. It was the only time when MQM was given a decent authority to implement developmental plans. No offence, but please check the history before commenting.
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Apr 20, 2015 07:11pm
@Sadaf Ther term Mohajir became useless once you have got PAkistani ID and Passport in your hand.
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Apr 20, 2015 07:12pm
@Salman So 5 votes for PTI do you have more like you in the area?
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Apr 20, 2015 07:15pm
@Amir
I agree with you, MQM is not perfect and needs to get rid of those badmaash unit workers that think they are big and bad, but besides that, I think they do a good job in managing Karachi and developing its infrastructure. I'm not a NA-246 resident, but MQM voter.
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Apr 20, 2015 07:15pm
@Sadaf Awesome,
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Apr 20, 2015 08:29pm
@NAS BTW where is mianwali?
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Apr 20, 2015 08:40pm
Imran Khan and PTI's rally was a complete and utter failure. You could tell from the embarrassed faces of all the PTI leadership on the stage. PTI has failed to mention a single plan to improve Karachi. Just empty slogans. The simple idea that they view Karachi as a place of fear shows their clear disconnect with the city. People in Karachi are not fearful. People from outside Karachi fear Karachi! JI has been contesting there for years! Then how does the PTI claim that they've gone somewhere no one has gone before? Utterly pathetic.
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Apr 20, 2015 08:43pm
@Viking Star Look up MQM's Syed Mustafa Kamal and educate yourself on his achievements in Karachi. The only time MQM has been given authority and they delivered amazingly.
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Apr 20, 2015 08:45pm
@haris Tell that to the Urdu speaking Mohajirs of Karachi who even with CNICs are discriminated on jobs, places in University and are not even allowed to police their own city because of their ethnic background.
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Apr 20, 2015 08:46pm
@Arshad Ahmed Patel, West Chester,Ohio, USA. Fatima Jinnah and her supporters were systematically eliminated with violence and intimidation by the first dictatorship of Ayub Khan.
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Apr 20, 2015 09:14pm
@M. Siddique - PPP has zero votes in NA246 :)
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Apr 20, 2015 09:16pm
@sikander PTI got about 30,000 votes in the last election; including 6 from my family in NA246.
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Apr 20, 2015 09:22pm
@rukhsar yes , they will and we know why.
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Apr 20, 2015 10:23pm
I have no clue why PTI is in this race, becuase @ the end of the day they will say "Dhandlee hoi hai"..They are polling staff is supporting MQM, so bring the staff from outside, Printing press (where ballot papers were printed )staff is also MQM supporter, so bring that staff also from outside...I know IK will say voters are also MQM supporters bring voters from outside Karachi....IK sahab when you know everyone is MQM supporter then open your eyes and accept the reality.....
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Apr 20, 2015 10:27pm
@Saima Khan Karachi is already fed up with in flux from North which changed the face of the city from a city of lights to city of mess.
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Apr 20, 2015 10:32pm
@Viking Star He has received million of dollars donations abroad but never gave the accounts of those. People in the West should be careful when donate these kind of people. Hospitals etc are his personal properties. He made the trust and he has full control of it with his family.
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Apr 20, 2015 10:34pm
People's high expectation for PTI will be the same as PPPs slogans for 'roti,Kapara aur makan' in the 1970 election which has not been fulfilled until today. PTIs slogan for 'NAIA Pakistan' will bring great disappointment if they come in power
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Apr 20, 2015 10:35pm
@NAS What is the comparison of Mianwali and Karachi? Does any body know Mianwali outside of Pakistan? Karachi is the only known city abroad. Mianwali is a kind of village when you compare with the mega city of Karachi. Even in Pakistan so many people do not know where Mianwali is.
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Apr 20, 2015 10:42pm
@A Pakistani It is well understood the philosophy of PTI. They want to show to their umpires who are supporting IK and his party that they have got some achievements even they they have lost. There is only two things winning and losing. Getting more votes than earlier elections does not matter. Why they all are hounding MQM? They are creating more hatred among the Karachiites against those who have always been calling them with names to show their hate.
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Apr 21, 2015 12:09am
@Kashif Khan Are you sure that was the only time, because if I remember correctly they were in power with Musharraf and PPP and many times before as well. And what Mustafa Kamal did was only after the Nazim before him otherwise MQM has never done anything for Karachi except make it worst place to live.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:13am
I have a change of heart. I am a mohajir and will now onwards vote for PTI. I now feel embarrassed that I have been following who claim to be a leader of most decent community but making nonesense speaches, singing and crying while addreasing his followers. I want a leader who talks logical in an educated and sophisticated way.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:21am
Problem with PTI....Polling staff is MQM supporters, so they want someone from outside,ballot paper printing staff is MQM supporters so they want someone from outside, Voters also MQM supporters so now hopefully PTI will ask to bring the voters from outside as well....
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Apr 21, 2015 03:46am
23rd April will be known as Altaf Bhai day in the history of elections.
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Apr 21, 2015 05:07am
@Saima Khan - racial comment ? Dear lady, Mianwali is the name of town. IK 's ancestral home.
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Apr 21, 2015 04:57pm
@mjk by mianwali, ik simply meant to garner votes from karachi as he/pti performed in mianwali,
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Apr 22, 2015 12:24am
Anyone who says PTI failed badly in governing kp must either be a paid patwari or an ignorant person.Peshawar is now a lot more cleaner and greener than it was during previous governments era.Karachi still does not have Rescue 112 while Peshawar has this service and it has been greatly improved since Pervaiz Khattak took charge. Kp police has become a role model.FIR can be lodged via sms and email. Alot of trees are being planted in the province and i myself am a witness to that.Apart from that major tertiary hospitals in Kp now have biometric systems.It goes for education board aswell. Induction of teachers and police is on the bases of NTS insuring merit.Crime rates have gone down by 60% compared to last year. Kp is truly changing and with Local bodies set up i predict lots of development. PTI does deserve to win but only if people of Karachi feel the differernce.
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