KARACHI: Although the victory of Ahmed Shah-Ejaz Faruqi panel in the Arts Council of Pakistan election (2025-2026) was, in a way, a foregone conclusion, the presence of 2,215 animated voters, out of the registered 6,780, and the buzz of excitement in and around the council created quite a lively atmosphere on Sunday evening.

The voting process started at midday and the last ballot was cast at 8pm after which counting commenced. A few hours later, Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, announced the results.

In the office-bearers’ category, Mohammad Ahmed Shah was elected president of the council with 1,977 votes. His opponent Najamuddin Shaikh of the Najam-Ashraf-Mubasher group managed to get 185 votes.

Munawar Saeed became vice-president. He bagged 1,953 votes, whereas his opponent Ashraf Jabbar got 187.

Only 32.6pc voters cast their ballots

Ejaz Faruqi won the secretary’s seat with 1,942 votes, and his opponent Mir Abbas Raza Mubasher Mir had 155.

Noor Ul Huda Shah was elected to the post of joint secretary with 1,891 votes; her opponent Iqbal Ahmed’s tally was 235.

Qudsia Akbar won the election to the post of treasurer with 1,939 votes; her opponent Tehseemul Haq Haqi managed to get 205 votes.

For the governing body of the council (2025-2026), the candidates who were declared winners are: Dr Huma Mir (1,908), Dr S M Qaiser Sajjad (1,907), M Iqbal Latif (1,886), Dr Ambareen Haseeb Amber (1,873), Ghazi Salahuddin (1,872), Syed Sajid Hasan (1,856), M Ayoub Shaikh (1,778), Akhlaq Ahmed (1,770), Amjad Hussain Shah (1,753), Abdullah Sultan (1,752), Farrukh Shahab (1,742) and Amjad Siraj Memon (1,711).

Since 32.6 per cent of voters turned up, it could be argued that it’s not a big number. But a constant trickling in of men and women who wanted to have their say in the polls was witnessed throughout the day. If on the one hand, political figures such as Nisar Khuhro, Saeed Ghani and Shehla Raza came to cast ballot, the number of showbiz glitterati was considerable, too. Behroz Sabzwari, Bushra Ansari and Adnan Shah Tipu, for example, were seen on the premises.

But what was most heartening to see was the presence of literary stalwarts Asad Muhammad Khan, Prof Sahar Ansari and Anwar Shaoor. Khan sahib and Prof Ansari came in wheelchairs.

One of the reasons for the smooth running of the whole exercise was the well thought-out system put in place. It didn’t make the voters to move around the polling area like a dear in the headlights. After knowing their counter number by producing their council membership cards, they would head to covered corners to mark their favoured candidates and cast their vote.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2024