KARACHI, Nov 25: Pakistan People’s Party, which has almost finalised names of its candidates for the Jan 8 elections, seems to be in no mood to challenge the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in Karachi.
A cursory look at the list of candidates for the National and Sindh assembly seats shows that no remarkable confrontation between the PPP and the MQM is likely to be witnessed in Karachi.
However, it may face problems after the induction of some rivals in the party fold.
In the previous Sindh Assembly, the PPP had mustered two NA and five PA seats and one of the PA seats was lost in by-elections held for the seat of Abdullah Murad, was murdered. PPP has given tickets to some winning candidates, who include Nabeel Gabol (NA-248) and Sher Mohammad Baloch (NA-258). Akhtar Jadoon (PS-89) Saleem Hingoro (PS-108), Rafiq Engineer (PS-109) and Sajid Jokhio (PS-130) have also been allowed to contest for retaining their seats. Same is the case with Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, who has been fielded again from NA-250 constituency. The PPP has fielded leader of the opposition in the City Council Saeed Ghani for NA-251 Karachi XIII and Habib Memon for NA-249. But some of the big names like N.D. Khan, Afaq Khan Shahid, Masroor Ahsan, Khalil Qureshi are missing from the list. Even Sathi Ishaq is not among the front runners.
Malkanis join PPP
Several political figures from Thatta, including former provincial ministers Ghulam Qadir Malkani and Usman Malkani, have announced their joining the Pakistan People’s Party.
The Malkanis served as minister in the Mehar cabinet and belonged until now to Pakistan Muslim League-Q.
They formally joined the PPP at the residence of the party’s Sindh Chief, Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday where Muzaffar Hussain Leghari , Sardar Haji Ameer Bakash Malkani , Dr Liquat Umrani and Abdual Rehman Memon from Thatta district also announced their joining the PPP.
Information Secretary of Sindh PPP Dr Fehmida Mirza, Dr Zulifqar Mirza, Makhdoom Jameel-uz-Zaman, Arbab Wazir Memon and Waqar Mehdi were present on the occasion.Ghulam Qadir Malkani has been given party ticket for PS-87 Thatta constituency.
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