District Central may slip from Muttahida’s hands

In terms of the area, District Central of Karachi may look small, but in terms of the number of union committees (UCs), it is the largest district of the city with 45 UCs. Interestingly, it is the only district of Karachi where there is no cantonment board. Thus, the entire district comes in the jurisdiction of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

A majority of the people living in District Central belong to the Mohajir community. The district was once a stronghold of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). However, in the 2018 general elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also emerged as one of the major political players in the district.

There are five towns in District Central — North Nazimabad Town with 10 UCs, New Karachi Town with 13 UCs, Nazimabad Town with seven UCs, Gulberg Town with eight UCs and Liaquatabad Town with seven UCs. The total number of wards in the district is 180.

Last elections

In the 2015 local government polls, the MQM-P managed to win 50 of the total 51 UCs in the district and elected its chairman in the District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Central unopposed.

The victory in District Central also helped the MQM-P get its mayor and deputy mayor elected in the KMC’s City Council. However, these times are different and the MQM-P is likely to not swiftly sail through the local government polls in the district for a myriad of reasons.

One of the biggest reasons is undoubtedly the fragile urban infrastructure of the district and the MQM-P’s failure to improve it. There is an impression that the MQM-P did nothing on ground for the district and cried foul over lack of powers and finances.

It won’t be wrong to say that District Central, which has over two million voters, is one of the most neglected districts of the city.

Demographics

The MQM-P faces three major opponents in the district. One of them is the Jamaat-e-Islami, its traditional rival in the city that has held extensive canvassing. The other two are the PTI and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) that is likely to dent the MQM-P’s vote bank, especially in underprivileged areas such as Moosa Colony, Liaquatabad and New Karachi.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has also restructured itself in District Central and entered into alliance with different parties such as the Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and various social organisations hoping to clinch a few UCs.

In the localities dominated by middle and upper-middle classes, the PTI has a strong vote bank. The PTI also seems strong in pockets of the Bohra and Ismaili communities in North Nazimabad.

In the Pakhtun-dominated area of Mujahid Colony, the JUI-F is a strong contender as it has been raising concern against anti-encroachment drive in the locality. Journalist Munir Ahmed Shah told The News that in the areas inhabited by the middle class in District Central, the JI and PTI are the biggest threat to the MQM-P. He added that the MQM-P would not repeat the results of 2015 in the district.

Shah said the TLP had a strong presence in the New Karachi Town and Liaquatabad Town while the JI and PTI were strong in Nazimabad Town, North Nazimabad Town and Gulberg Town.

Regarding the TLP, the journalist said it had a strong vote bank in various small pockets such as Federal B Area Block 17 and Block 18 where it had its mosques. The party was also strong in New Karachi Town’s Godhra area where it had its hardliners in large numbers, the journalist added.

Heavyweights

Karachi JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, who is most likely to be the party’s candidate for the Karachi mayor in case he wins, is contesting from the UC-8 of District Central. Similarly, a possible mayoral candidate of the PTI, Ashraf Jabbar Qureshi, is also contesting the local government elections in District Central from its UC-1 and UC-6.

It is interesting to note that Qureshi has lost various elections in Karachi at least eight times. Rehman was also defeated by a relatively unknown candidate of the MQM-P in the last local government elections. However, the JI seems to have attracted many voters this time by highlighting various issues of the district in its campaign.

Statistics

A total of 3,763 candidates are in the fray in District Central. They include 761 candidates each for the posts of chairman and vice chairman, and 2,241 candidates for general members. The total number of registered voters in the district is 2,076,073, including 1,122,277 male voters and 953,796 female voters.

A total of 1,263 polling stations have been set up in the district, of which 360 have been declared highly sensitive and 903 sensitive. The total number of polling booths in the district is 4,329.