PS-7 Shikarpur: Bureaucrat-turned-politician and former minister Imtiaz Shaikh of the PPP is facing GDA-backed Agha Taimoor Pathan of the JUI-F. Shaikh had defeated Taimoor twice in 2013, as a PML-F backed candidate, and in 2018 as a PPP candidate.

PS-81 Dadu: Former Sindh CM Liaquat Ali Jatoi is contesting election as a GDA candidate against Fayyaz Ali Butt of the PPP. His brother, Sadaqat Jatoi, had contested the election on the same seat in 2018 as a PTI candidate but lost to PPP’s Butt.

PS-95 Karachi-Korangi: PTI-backed independent candidate and former MPA Raja Azhar is facing MQM-P’s Shamshad Ali Khan and policeman-turned-politician Farooq Awan who is contesting the polls on a PPP ticket.

PS-70 Badin: GDA’s Barrister Hasnain Mirza, son of Zulfiqar and Dr Fehmida Mirza, is facing Arbab Ameer Amanullah of the PPP. Hasnain had won the seat in 2018 on a GDA ticket. He had also won the 2013 general election from the platform of the PPP.

PS-77 Jamshoro: Two-time former Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah of the PPP is facing GDA’s Roshan Buriro in his home constituency in Sehwan. Mr Shah has completed his five-year term as the chief minister of the province and is now poised to capture his traditional seat. Although the PPP has made no announcement regarding its future CM, it is widely believed that Mr Shah will become the chief executive of the province for a third time if his party is voted to power in today’s polls.

PS-129 Karachi-Central: City chief of the JI Hafiz Naeemur Rehman is contesting election against MQM-P’s Maaz Muqaddam whose prospects may face a somewhat negative impact due to MQM-London-backed independent candidate. The provincial assembly constituency is comprised of areas in North Nazimabad Town and it is home to Hafiz Naeem who is also contesting elections on two NA seats.

PS-105 Karachi-East: A neck-on-neck contest is expected between PPP’s Saeed Ghani and Irfanullah Marwat of GDA. Marwat also enjoys support of MQM-P in the constituency that comprises areas of Mehmoodabad, Chanesar Goth.

PS-58 Tando Allahyar: Dr Rahila Magsi, a former district nazim and PML-N senator, is contesting the poll as a GDA candidate against PPP’s Zia Abbas Shah. She also enjoys support from the MQM-P after her brother Dr Irfan Gul Magsi joined the party after parting ways with the PPP.

PS-60 Hyderabad: Qaumi Awami Tehrik (QAT) president Ayaz Latif Palijo, son of ultranationalist leader late Rasool Bux Palijo, is again contesting against PPP’s Jam Khan Shoro as a GDA candidate. Palijo had lost the polls to Jam Shoro twice in 2018 and 2013.

PS-18 Ghotki: Disgruntled PPP leader and former health minister Jam Mahtab Dahar is contesting election as an independent candidate on PS-18 against PTI turncoat Shaharyar Shar, who has been given a PPP ticket. Dahar had lost the 2018 election against Shar who was then a PTI candidate.

Collage: Nadeem Ahmed Khan

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2024