THATTA, Dec 18: Amid an atmosphere of uncertainty and apprehensions amongst the rank and file of PPP and its sympathisers about the conduct impartial polls, electioneering has gained momentum in Thatta.

Amongst the 1,199,525 population of the district a total of 793,860 registered voters would use their right of franchise this time. However, the ever-growing convince and canvass through all possible means by the politically and administratively dominant PML-Q- affiliated Shirazi group candidates and the rival PPP contestants shows that this time a comparatively higher number of voters will cast their votes as against the 2002 elections when the turnout stood at 31 per cent.

A known citadel of literature and knowledge and of past glowing history, now Thatta district is spread over an area of 17,355 square kilometres having one district council, nine talukas, 6,751 villages, 55 union councils, 656 dehs and a mere literary ratio of 21 per cent. Eight archaeological sites, three lakes and nine shrines of prominent saints are also located in this coastal district.

In the forthcoming general elections, 640 polling stations are being set-up for five provincial and two national assembly seats to facilitate some 496,201 male and 324,659 female registered voters in the district.

Besides the major PPP and PML-Q affiliated Shirazi group, the other candidates belong to MQM and JUI. The three nationalist parties of Sindh, of which heads of the two hail from Thatta district and have good influence in the district, have neither fielded their candidates nor they have expressed their willingness to support any of the candidates. These included Awami Tehrik of Rasool Bux Palijo, STP of Dr Qadir Magsi and JSQM of Basheer Khan Qureshi.

This time, three sons of caretaker provincial minister for food and agriculture, Syed Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi, one son and two nephews of District Nazim of Thatta, Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi and the only outsider but an loyalist of Shirazi group, Rais Mohammad Ali Khan Malkani, are contesting election against PPP candidates on five provincial and two national assembly seats.

On NA-237 (Thatta-I), Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Shirazi, son of Aijaz Shah Shirazi, is facing former PPP provincial minister Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro and on NA-238 (Thatta-II), district president PPP, Arbab Wazir Ahmed Memon is pitched against the elder son of Aijaz Shah Shirazi and former MNA, Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Shirazi.

On PS-84, Abdul Jalil Memon is contesting against Syed Fayaz Hussain Shah Shirazi, son of Aijaz Shah, on PS-85, PPP’s Sassui Palijo is contesting against Amir Hyder Shah, on PS-86, Syed Shah Hussain Shah son of district nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi, is running against Syed Masood Mustafa Shah, a grandson of former vice chancellor Sindh University, Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah.

On PS-87, PPP candidate and a former Leaguer, Ghulam Qadir Malkani has flexed his muscles against his cousin and Shirazi group candidate, former state minister Mohammad Ali Malkani, whereas PPP’s Haji Usman Malkani is facing Syed Imtiaz Shah on PS-88.

Besides the PPP and PML-Q candidates, the MQM has fielded Irfan Bikak for NA-237 Thatta-I, Heer Soho for NA-238 Thatta-II, Hamid Manchari for PS-84 Thatta, Deedar Khaskheli for PS-85 Mirpur Sakro, Heer Soho for PS-86 Bathoro, Mehar Ali Shah for PS-87 Jati Chuhar and Heer Soho for PS-88 Ghorabari.

JUI’s only candidate, its Naib Ameer of Sindh, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Qasmi is contesting for NA-238 Sujawal Bathoro seat. The analysts believed that JUI, despite having a good number of votes in Sujawal-Bathoro constituency, was not in a position to solicit votes out of its religiously staunch circles in Sujawal hence unlikely to get through.

The MQM will break the votes of Bengalis, Biharis and Mohajirs in coastal constituency in Mirpur Sakro and may hamper the PPP candidate. In overall the major clash would be between the PPP and Shirazi group candidates.

Observers believe that Shirazi group having the entire state machinery at its disposals, was using all tactics of terror and temptation to make it a success. Luckily the PML-N deserter Ghulam Qadir Malkani and former MPA Muzaffar Khan Leghari have joined the PPP fold.

The PPP is anxiously awaiting for a public meeting to be addressed by its chairperson Benazir Bhutto to turn the tables against the Shirazis.