Elections in Larkana division comprising five districts of Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabd and Kashmore-Kandhkot have become very much a depoliticized affair like the rest of the province where Pakistan Peoples Party have fielded ‘tried and tested’ old guard and feudal ‘electables’ rendering poll results a foregone conclusion.

There are eight seats of National Assembly (NA) and 17 of provincial assembly (PA) in the division. A total of 95 candidates, including four females, are in the fray for NA and 236, among them 10 women, are contesting 17 PA seats. The division has a total of 3,592,271 registered voters, including 1,930,896 males and 1,661,375 females.

Larkana — a ‘political barometer’

Locally, Larkana is known as the ‘barometer of politics’ as it has given the country many political luminaries, including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, his daughter Benazir Bhutto, Qazi Fazlullah, Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto and Akhtar Ali G. Qazi.

Major development projects executed in the region over the last three decades can be counted on fingertips, one of the most beneficial being the Motorway connecting Ratodero with the bordering areas of Balochistan via Qambar-Shahdadkot and another section of the Motorway leading to Rohri and Sukkur.

Manoeuvring for Feb 8 polls

The JUI-F, GDA and certain independents have cobbled together local provincial and alliances to challenge PPP in Larkana and elsewhere. But PPP’s political manoeuvrings and ‘changes’ made in the delimitation will have an impact on the results and overall post-election scenario. Besides, the PPP has fielded the same old but tried and tested faces for NA a seats of the region with a few exceptions.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is contesting NA-194 (Larkana-I) against JUI-F Sindh Secretary General Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro. He had won the seat in previous election, and now JUI-F, GDA and Larkana Awami Ittehad (LAI) — a cluster of different political parties and groups — have thrown their weight behind Maulana Soomro to help him defeat the Bhuttos’ scion.

Bilawal is also contesting NA-196 (Qambar-Shahdadkot), where JUI-F has fielded Maulana Nasir Mehmood Soomro, its Larkana district emir. In the previous general elections, this seat had gone to PPP’s Aftab Sha’aban Mirani, who was defeated by a huge margin.

On NA-195 (Larkana-II), Sardar Nazeer Ahmed Bughio, a former MNA, has been given PPP ticket to challenge GDA General Secretary Dr Safdar Abbasi.

Of the four provincial assembly seats, PPP has awarded a ticket to Adil Altaf Unnar, who has left the LAI to join PPP to contest PS-13. The Unnars wield power in Dokri as they had won most seats in the local bodies elections to defeat their PPP nominees.

PPP woman wing chairperson Faryal Talpur is in the run for the second PA, PS-10 (Ratodero), from where she has won twice. His main rival is JUI-F’s Kifayatullah Soomro, the son of the party’s slain leader, Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro.

Jameel Ahmed Soomro, PPP chairman Bilawal’s political secretary, is contesting the third PA seat, PS-11 (Larkana city), against GDA’s Barrister Kazim Ali Abbasi, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Nadir Khoso and PPP-SB’s Liaquat Ali Umrani.

Changes in delimitations have struck this constituency, which seem to have compelled GDA’s Moazzim Ali Abbasi to switch to PS-12 against PPP’s Suhail Anwar Siyal, a former home minister.

In the 2018 elections, Moazzim had defeated Nida Khuhro, the daughter of PPP Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro. Again in by-elections, Moazzim defeated PPP’s Jameel Soomro. Muhammad Mian Soomro has pledged full support to Moazzim Abbasi on NA-204 (Gambat) and Rashid Shah Rashdi.

Lone warrior in Jacobabad

In Jacobabad, PPP has fielded former MNA Aijaz Ahmed Jakhrani, Shabir Bijarani and Ali Jan Mazari. The finalist would face former Sindh governor and National Assembly speaker Muhammad Main Soomro, who has recently met PML-F chief Pir Pagaro in Karachi to muster his support.

Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Jatoi, chieftain of the Jatoi clan, has joined JUI-F along with his brother Abid Khan Jatoi, an electable. The Jatois have considerable influence on their tribesmen in Shikarpur and Jacobabad districts.

The JUI-F has fielded Bibi Aasiya on PS-1 (Jacobabad-I) to challenge PPP’s Sher Mohammad Muhgeri.

In the election 2018, PTI’s Aslam Abro had won this seat. The Jacobabad scene is dominated by sardars and influential persons akin to Qambar-Shahdadkot and Ghotki districts On PS-3 (Jacobabad-III), PPP has awarded its ticket to new face, Aurangzeb Panhwar, who will face Mumtaz Jakhrani. Angry over being ignored by PPP, Mumtaz Jakhrani has joined the camp of Muhammad Mian Soomro. The GDA, JUI-F and Soomro groups are supporting Jakhrani. In the 2018 elections, Mohammad Mian Soomro won this seat as a PTI candidate, defeating PPP’s Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, while another seat, NA-197 (Kashmore), was won by PPP’s Ihsan-ur-Rehman Mazari.

Magsi brothers in Qambar-Shahdadkot

PPP has given its tickets to Magsi brothers, Mir Nadir Magsi and Mir Aamir Magsi for PS-14 and NA-197, respectively, in Qambar-Shahdadkot while Chandio brothers – Sardar Khan Chandio, the chieftain of his tribe, and Burhan Khan Chandio have been given party tickets for PS-16 and PS-17, respectively.

Senator Nisar Khuhro, a senior and seasoned politician and president of PPP Sindh, is contesting PS-15 (Mirokhan) this time whereas, in the 2018 election, PPP’s Ganhwar Isran had won the seat.

Shikarpur bout

Shikarpur may witness an interesting fight now when the Jatois of the area have joined JUI-F. Shaheryar Khan Mahar, who has recently switched to PPP after quitting GDA, has been allotted a ticket for NA-193 to face JUI-F’s Maulana Rashid Soomro.

On PS-7, the PPP has fielded former bureaucrat-turned-politician Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh to face Agha Taimur Pathan, who has switched his loyalties from PTI to JUI-F. In 2018, Imtiaz Shaikh had won this seat on a PPP ticket to defeat PTI’s Agha Taimur. Now Mr Taimur has joined the JUI-F at the eleventh hour.

Also, a hot contest is expected between PPP’s Arif Khan Mahar and JUI-F’s Abid Hussain Jatoi on PS-8, whereas Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani is very likely to have a smooth sailing.

Sardars hold sway in Kashmore-Kandhkot

On NA-191 PPP’s Ali Jan Mazari is expected to have a neck and neck fight with Shahzen Khan Bijarani of JUI-F and PPP’s Mir Shabbir Ali Khan Bijarani is taking on Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Jatoi of JUI-F for NA-192 (Kashmor-Shikarpur).

Bijarani and Jatoi may have a close contest on the seat, which was won by PPP’s Ihsanullah Mazari in 2018.

PPP’s Abdul Rauf Khoso is contesting PS-4 (Kashmor-I). Khoso, who had won the seat in 2018, has no serious opposition to contend with on Feb 8. On PS-5 (Kashmor-II) Sardar Ghulam Abid Sundarani of PPP faces JUI-F’s Hafiz Rabnawaz Chachar. Sundrani had won the seat in 2018 and is poised to retain it comfortably.

PS-6 (Kashmor-III) will be a scene of interesting contest between Mehbood Ali Khan Bijarani of PPP and JUI-F’s Saen Abdul Qayoom Halejvi. In 2018, PPP’s Shabbir Ali Bijarani’s had won the seat unopposed.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2024