SANGHAR: A nail-biting contest is expected between Pakistan Peoples Party’s Jam Madad Ali and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional’s Jam Nafees Ali, two scions of the influential Jam family, in the by-election for PS-81 (Sanghar-Mirpurkhas) to be held on Thursday (today).

The provincial assembly seat fell vacant after former PML-F stalwart Jam Madad Ali resigned from his seat in order to join the PPP.

Analysts are of the view that Jam Madad Ali’s position is stronger than his rival, partly because of his own political standing and partly because now he also enjoys the support of the ruling party in Sindh.

They fear the PML-F may have to brace for another shock defeat in its traditional stronghold. The party has already lost a National Assembly seat, which it had held for decades, to PPP candidate Shazia Atta Marri in Khipro.

A family affair

Interestingly, both the candidates belong to the same Jam family and live in Jam Nawaz Ali town, the native town of former Sindh chief minister Jam Sadiq Ali. The constituency falls within two districts, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas, and covers Jam Nawaz Ali taluka, parts of Sanghar and Sinjhoro talukas of Sanghar district and Sindhri taluka of Mirpurkhas district.

The constituency was created in the year 2000 and Jam Madad Ali had won its seat twice from the platform of the PML-F since the 2002 elections. In the 2013 general elections, he was defeated by PPP candidate Mohammad Khan Junejo, who was later disqualified for possessing a fake bachelor’s degree.

In the subsequent by-election in 2014, Jam Madad returned to the provincial assembly on a ticket of PML-F. He joined PPP recently and resigned from his provincial assembly seat.

Et tu, Jam Madad?

Betrayed by its long-time stalwart, the PML-F fielded Jam Madad’s close relative Jam Nafees Ali to ensure the friend-turned-foe did not have smooth sailing in the election. Jam Nafees had remained PML-F taluka nazim in the Musharraf government.

Analysts believe the move will divide the Jam family’s traditional vote and make the results unpredictable. It is learnt the Jam family has put its weight behind Jam Nafees.

The support of the Junejos who had in the past been contesting elections against Jam Madad and who appeared reluctant to extend him support lately can prove decisive in the contest.

PPP MNA Roshan Junejo, Mohammad Khan Junejo and Asghar Junejo wield considerable political clout in the area. The family won the seat in the 2013 general elections also on the PPP’s ticket.

The PML-F can turn the situation in its favour and restore political credibility in its stronghold by winning the by-election. However, PPP appears to have an upper hand in the contest as it had recently handed shock defeats to PML-F.

PPP won PML-F’s traditional seat in Khipro and swept local bodies elections by a wide margin, successfully bringing its district council chairman in the PML-F stronghold.

The PML-F has taken the election seriously and mobilised its voters for the polls. PML-F leader and Federal Minister Syed Sadruddin Shah Rashdi visited Sanghar while Pir Pagaro held meetings with notables of his Hur Jamaat and other supporters in the constituency and asked them to take part in the election campaign of the PML-F candidate.

Unremarkable record

People of the area are critical of the performance of Jam Madad, whom they had voted to power in successive elections but now complain he has not lived up to their expectations. The constituency is oil-rich but majority of locals do not get any benefit from the mineral resources. They still live under the same conditions.

Jam Nafees Ali is said to be more humble and approachable to the masses. He is considered to be more vocal on problems of people and the area.

Talking to Dawn, he claimed that his rival’s election campaign was being carried out under official patronage and he was being given official protocol by police.

He said the provincial government was making transfers and postings of officials in the district prior to the by-election. Even the deputy commissioner was sent on ‘forced’ leave but was later restored on the directives of the Election Commission of Pakistan, he said.

All the 122 polling stations in the constituency have been declared sensitive and the administration has taken tight security measures to maintain peace during the election.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2017