In a major development, Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Mustafa Kamal has decided to back out of the electoral race in favor of Shehbaz Sharif from Karachi’s NA-242 seat.
After numerous rounds of dialogue, the impasse between the two parties over NA-242 was resolved as MQM-Pakistan eventually acquiesced to PML-N’s demand. They decided to withdraw their candidate Mustafa Kamal in favor of former premier Shehbaz Sharif.
Sources indicate that the official announcement by MQM-P will follow a telephonic discussion between the heads of the two parties – Shehbaz Sharif and Khalid Maqbool Siddique.
MQM-P had already pledged its support to PML-N in three other NA constituencies in Karachi – two from Malir and one in Lyari. However, the party made it clear that it would not compromise in NA-240, where PML-N intended Owais Noorani of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan to contest.
Similarly, MQM-P will not withdraw from NA-243, where PML-N sought to field Akhtar Jadoon, a former Sindh minister and PPP leader, according to the sources.
The two allied parties have reached an agreement that PML-N candidates will contest National Assembly seats in Mirpur Khas, Nawabshah, and Sukkur districts, while MQM will field its candidates on provincial assembly seats in these districts.
Earlier in the day, the Election Tribunal cleared the way for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to contest polls from NA-242 (Karachi). The Tribunal reinstated Shehbaz Sharif’s nomination papers for NA 242 Karachi after rejecting objections raised by PTI.
