KARACHI, Nov 21: As the countdown to the January 8 general elections has begun with the commencement of the process of filing nomination papers, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has geared up its preparations with a special focus on four national assembly constituencies it lost in the 2002 general elections.

Insiders told Dawn that the MQM and a major component of the six-party religious alliance, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), are in touch regarding the adjustment of seats in some of the city’s constituencies.

In Karachi, the upcoming general elections concern 20 National Assembly seats and 42 seats of the provincial assembly. In 2002, the MQM won 12 out of 20 NA seats since five MMA candidates defeated MQM candidates in areas that were supposed to be strongholds of the party. In addition to the seats won by the MMA, one Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi) candidate and two candidates of the PPP-Parliamentarians emerged successful in the 2002 general elections. However, after the deaths of MQM-H MNA Mahmood Ahmed Qureshi and MMA MNA Abdus Sattar Afghani, the MQM won the two seats (NA-255 and NA-250) in by-elections.

In view of the results of the 2002 general elections in the city, said sources, the electioneering in four constituencies – NA-241 (Orangi), NA-250 (Defence, Clifton, Burns Road), NA-252 (Bahadurabad, PIB Colony, Mahmoodabad) and NA-253 (Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar) has geared up.

The MQM is ready to field Dr Farooq Sattar and other important party leaders from these constituencies so that they can run effective election campaigns.

Dawn’s sources hinted at a possible seat adjustment on NA-239, from where the MMA’s Qari Gul Rehman succeeded in 2002. Referring to the NA-248 and NA-258, which were won by the PPPP in the 2002 general elections, the sources said that the MQM would field candidates from these constituencies but these were not considered the party’s traditional seats.

When contacted, MQM leader Faisal Subzwari told Dawn that on the basis of its performance and homework, the party believed that it would not only manage to secure its traditional seats but also win the national and provincial assembly seats which it lost in the 2002 general elections.

The process of finalising the names of potential candidates has reportedly been under way for many days and according to party sources, is expected to be completed within the next two days.

Two committees, headed by deputy convener MQM Dr Farooq Sattar and Anwar Alam, who is in charge of the coordination committee, are busy conducting interviews to finalise candidates for the next elections.

The sources said that some of the party’s leaders, who are currently living in the United States and the UK, are expected to arrive in Karachi before Nov 26, the cut-off date for the filing of nomination papers, in order to contest the next elections.

Meanwhile, the MQM has finalised its election manifesto which is based on three Ps: Peace, Progress and Prosperity.

The manifesto covers issues relating to provincial autonomy, social sector development, economic development, preventive and curative healthcare facilities for all, and the elimination of a class-based system from the country.