With Dr Sikandar Shoro’s re-entry into Pakistan Peoples Party, the party must be feeling complacent about its prospects for electoral success in Jamshoro district on Feb 8, and shrugging off opposition from rivals, chief among them Sindh United Party which is contesting polls as part of anti-PPP alliance, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

In 2018 elections, contest on a provincial constituency of Kotri PS-8 had in fact turned into a tug of war between PPP’s Dr Sikandar Shoro and Malik Asad Sikandar, generating greater interest among people of Jamshoro.

Young Dr Shoro had to put in a lot of sweat and tears to face down the experienced parliamentarian, Malik Asad. Dr Shoro wanted to salvage his family’s stakes as he believed the constituency belonged to his elders, including Siddique Shoro, who had won it consecutively as PPP candidate from 1988-1993.

In 1997 Malik Asad joined the fray and became independent MPA while beating PPP’s Shafqat Shah. He won NA seat as well against Pir Zaman Shah in the then Dadu district. Then in 2002 polls, Asad’s maternal uncle late Ghulam Nabi Shoro won the seat.

After his death, Dr Shoro contested by-poll held on February 2007 as PPP candidate. But Asad cold-shouldered PPP as Jamshoro district nazim. Rather, he put his weight behind Pir Mujeeb, ruling PML-Q candidate, indicating internecine fight involving two families within PPP.

The then Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim backed Mujeeb and the entire government machinery descended on Jamshoro to make sure Mujeeb did not lose. Mujeeb eventually won to the great chagrin of Dr Shoro.

Subsequently, Dr Shoro won the seat in 2008 and 2013 (then PS-71) as Asad grabbed NA-231 in 2013 polls and did not contest 2008 polls for being district nazim.

In 2018 elections, the rift resurfaced when Dr Shoro was denied the party ticket for the provincial seat, which went to Asad. The seat was redrawn as PS-82. This marked departure of Dr Shoro from PPP although he was the party’s Sindh deputy general secretary.

Dr Shoro lost 2018 polls as independent candidate on PS-82 by a close margin. Asad secured 40,604 votes while Dr Shoro obtained 36,315 votes. Dr Shoro had accused Asad of using strong arm tactics to deny him victory and then challenged results before tribunal but lost.

On two other seats, Murad Ali Shah won PS-80 comfortably by securing 50,467 votes against SUP’s Jalal Shah, who was polled 21,915 votes. PPP’s Giyanoo Mal secured 34,957 votes on PS-81 to beat independent Malik Changez Khan, who was polled 26,975. Sikandar Rahupoto won Jamshoro’s NA-233 with 133,500 votes against Jalal.

Though PPP has reconciled with Dr Shoro ahead of Feb 8 polls to bolster its chances of easy wins, but Jamshoro’s electoral history tells us that if Asad were on PPP’s side, the party would not have to worry much about the four seats in Feb 8 polls.

Regardless of the number of total contestants in the constituencies, the stage is all set for a PPP versus GDA fight. Health issues did not permit SUP chairman Jalal Shah to run for the seat this time while PTI candidates are contesting as independents.

Asad would contest an NA seat, which has been renumbered as NA-226, in place of Sikandar Rahupoto, Murad’s close friend, to face GDA’s Munir Hyder Shah. Shah is grandson of Ameer Hyder Shah, G.M. Syed’s son.

Of the four provincial constituencies, Murad Shah is contesting on PS-77 (Sehwan) against GDA’s Roshan Buriro. Dr Shoro is up against GDA’s Syed Munir Hyder Shah on PS-78 (Kotri) while Asad’s son Malik Sikandar Khan, named after his grandfather, is vying for PS-79 (Thana Bula Khan). The GDA had fielded Mir Mangrio but it was now supporting independent Malik Changez, Asad’s relative, after seat adjustment.

Malik, Syed families hold sway in Jamshoro

Jamshoro’s political arena has witnessed political contests between two most influential families of Malik Sikandar Khan, father of Malik Asad and Jalal Shah’s grandfather, late G.M. Syed, an exponent of sovereign Sindh. Ghulam Murtaza Shah commonly known as G.M. Syed is buried in Sann, a small town of Jamshoro. The two fought polls in 1970.

G.M. Syed fought 1970 election from platform of Sindh United Front (Sindh Muttahida Mahaz) but lost to Malik Sikandar Khan. Syed was polled 10,592 votes while Asad’s father secured 51,373 votes.

“Till his death Syed adhered to his ideology of independent state of Sindh and parliamentary politics within Pakistan’s framework,” recalls Abdul Khaliq Junejo, a follower of G.M. Syed.

Syed’s second and third generation is now entering parliamentary politics. First, his elder son, Ameer Hyder Shah, was elected member of Sindh Assembly in 1990 in undivided Dadu (now falls in Jamshoro), beating late Abdullah Shah, father of outgoing Sindh CM Murad Shah on PS-59 Dadu-II while securing 23,385 votes as independent candidate.

Then Syed’s progeny Jalal Shah entered political arena and won the seat in 1997, beating Abdullah Shah. He became Sindh Assembly’s deputy speaker in PML-N-MQM coalition government.

Jalal formed Sindh United Party (SUP) in recent past and remained a major challenger to Malik Asad, who has been returning to assemblies since 1988 with or without political support.

He often boasts of his father’s 1970 success, taunting Syed’s followers in speeches quite often whenever election drive begins.

Malik Asad’s relationship with PPP has always remained fragile.

He parted ways with PPP after developing differences with CM Abdullah Shah around 1996, and won PS-58 Dadu-I as an independent candidate against PPP’s Shafqat Shah, who got 12,491 votes in 1997 general elections that reduced PPP to 18 seats in upper house as PML-N returned triumphantly to power with 137 general seats. Asad served as Sindh minister for wildlife in PML-N-MQM coalition government.

Then after Musharraf’s devolution of power plan he became undivided Dadu’s nazim as independent after defeating PPP’s candidate in 2001 party-less LG polls. When Jamshoro became a separate district he won again as district nazim in 2005 LB polls.

Asad controls Jamshoro. He regularly hosts Arab royals and it had enabled him to build strong relations in Gulf region.

Jalal Mehmood Shah as independent lost 2022 polls to Nawab Ghani Talpur on Dadu’s NA-231. After having founded SUP, he again fought and lost in 2008 to Talpur while securing 33,362 votes against Nawab’s 138,320 votes.

In 2013, Malik Asad opted for PPP’s ticket for NA-231 while Dr Shoro was elected from PS-71, beating SUP’s Jalal Shah. Two other provincial assembly seats were won by PPP’s Faqirdad Khoso (PS-72) and independent Syed Abdul Nabi Shah (PS-73).

Malik Asad’s fall

When Bahria Town Karachi (BTK) extended its tentacles to Karachi and parts of Jamshoro district Malik Asad locked horns with BTK over land dispute. BTK’s boss took the matter to Asif Zardari and resultantly Malik Asad fell out of PPP’s favour around 2017 despite remaining the party’s MNA though for a brief period.

The PPP, which had entered 10th year of its rule in Sindh, gave him a taste of his own medicine by cornering him in his home. Civil administrative machinery and police refused to comply with his instructions as Jam Khan Shoro from Hyderabad had started pulling strings in Jamshoro’s affairs by the party’s nod.

As friend of Dr Shoro, he backed him and mustered support for him which later enabled Dr Shoro to face Malik bravely in July 2018 electoral battle. Malik Asad settled issues with PPP by the time 2018 polls had been announced.

He made sure PPP’s deputy general secretary Sindh, Dr Shoro, was denied PPP ticket for Kotri seat, PS-82. Malik obtained the very ticket for himself and won. But ahead of Feb 8 polls, Dr Shoro has reentered PPP in similar fashion thanks to Jam Khan’s efforts to pay Asad in the same coin.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2024