KARACHI: Sindh’s ruling party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) appears to have emerged as the leading party in the recent local bodies by-elections held in the Sindh capital Karachi, securing victories in six out of 11 Union Councils (UCs).
However, the victory was not without controversy, as the Jamat-e-Islami (JI) has accused PPP of resorting to hooliganism using police, and rigging in the by-polls.
According to Hafiz Naeemur Rahman, the Chief of Jamat-e-Islami’s Karachi chapter, his party was initially leading on eight seats. However, he claims that the results were suddenly changed, and as a result, his party will not accept what they consider to be ‘fake results’.
The unofficial results for 10 out of 11 Karachi UCs were announced after the vote count. PPP’s Abdul Qadir secured 3,243 votes and won the LG by-polls in UC-2 Bihar Colony in Karachi’s South district, while PPP’s Muhammad Israr Khan won the UC-2 Korangi with 2,647 votes. PPP’s Arif Tanoli secured 3,009 votes and emerged victorious in UC-2 Baldia Town in Keamari district, and Arshad Khan from PPP won the LG by-polls in UC-8 Mominabad in West district with 2,805 votes.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Shakeel Ahmed won the LG by-polls in UC-1 Orangi Town with 2,925 votes. JI candidate won in UC-2 Orangi Town, UC-2 Landhi Town, and UC-2 Shah Faisal Town. In UC-13 New Karachi of Central District, PPP’s Shahzeb Murtaza secured 5,558 votes to win the LG by-polls, while in UC-6 North Nazimabad – Central District, JI candidate Faisal Nadeem secured 4,055 votes to win the LG by-polls.
PPP’s Saeed Ghani predicted that the Mayor of Karachi will be from PPP, while JI leveled serious allegations of hooliganism and rigging using police. However, PPP dismissed the allegations as usual.
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