MQM wins in Karachi, Hyderabad, PPP rules interior Sindh

Mayoral elections

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Waseem Akhtar was elected Karachi’s mayor on Wednesday as polls for the seats of mayor and deputy mayor, besides chairman and vice chairman of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), were peacefully held.  Waseem Akhtar bagged 208 votes, Arshad Vohra, the Deputy Mayor, bagged 205 votes. There were 305 registered voters and the turnout was 97 percent. The men voters were 231 and women who participated in the election were 74. The correct votes were 294.  The PPP candidate who contested for the mayor’s post bagged 86 votes against Waseem Akhtar. 

Waseem Akhtar was brought here from the Central Jail, Karachi, to cast his vote at the KMC’s old building where he used his vote and was again taken to jail. Waseem, while talking to the media at the City Council Hall after using his vote, said: “I am the Mayor of Karachi, not of MQM.” He said he wanted to follow the guidelines of Jinnah.

Waseem thanked the people of Karachi and claimed such elections had never happened in Pakistan. He congratulated the present government that had accepted the mandate of Karachi.

Waseem said he does not want to discuss the bitterness and wants to forget what had happened in the past and would like to move forward and look ahead.  The newly-elected mayor said he wanted to move collectively with all the political parties. “I request the Sindh chief minister to guide and lead us.” He requested the Sindh chief minister to give powers to the elected local government members.

Referring to the DG Rangers, he said “General Bilal, people have given us the mandate and we want to work with you jointly.”

Akhtar reiterated his support for the ongoing operation in the city and said “there are elements who want to derail the peace of Karachi”.  He said the Rangers are giving great sacrifices for the peace and prosperity of the country. He said when we are united, problems will be resolved. “If we are pitted against each other, peace in Karachi can never be restored.”

Waseem also said he needed guidelines from the DG talk against Pakistan and said he will talk to Imran Ismail, JI and ANP and will go to their offices.  Waseem said cases against him were all political. "I want to get reply from the chief minister in this regard for all cases against me."  

Taking the name of Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari, he claimed he was a political prisoner.   Waseem said they were the ones whose ancestors had made Pakistan, who would never say anything against Pakistan.  Waseem said in the past he had already spent three years in jail. 

Arshad Vohra advised Waseem Akhtar not to discuss yesterday's subject. He told Waseem to be careful.  Akhtar has been in prison since July 19.  

According to sources in the provincial election commission, more than 2,000 voters elected mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen and vice chairman for more than 100 municipal bodies of 20 districts, including five of Karachi, across Sindh.  Meanwhile, from District Central Karachi Rehan Hashmi got elected unopposed. From District South Karachi, Malik Fayaz won the post of chairman and got 28 votes. Irshad Ali lost and got 18 votes. 

MQM got elected Mansoor Ahmed, vice chairman district Karachi South, who bagged 26 votes. From District Malir, PPP 's Abdul Khaliq Marwat was elected the chairman. Malik Mohammed Taj lost with five votes. 

The results of District West Karachi were withheld. Izahurul Hasan Khan bagged 35 votes and vice chairman of PTI bagged 44 votes but the results were withheld after the PML-N candidate charged that 20 ballot boxes had some signs on them. Therefore, results was withheld by the returning officer.  The oath-taking ceremony will take place on August 30 at the City Council Hall. Mayor Waseem Akhtar has been already granted permission to take oath.         

Our correspondent adds from Sukkur: Elections for the seats of chairman and vice chairman for 14 districts of Sindh were held amid tight security on Wednesday.  The elections for the positions of chairman, vice chairman, mayor and deputy mayor were also held in Larkana like other parts of Sindh.

The PPP candidate running for the position of chairman in Larkana, Khan Muhammad Sangro, received 61 out of 68 votes while his opponent, Muhammad Sadiq Chandio of PPP (Workers), got only five votes. On the other hand, the candidate for the position of vice chairman, Syed Abdul Hayee Shah, received 61 out of 68 votes while his opponent Syed Asghar Shah Rashidi could get only five votes. 

The candidate for the position of Mayor, Muhammad Aslam Shaikh (PPP), secured 22 votes out of 30 while his opponent Awais Ali Abbasi of PPP (Workers) got only eight votes.

The candidate for the position of deputy mayor, Muhammad Anwar Luhar (PPP), secured 22 votes out of 30 while his opponent Mehmoodul Hassan Soomro, who is a PML-F candidate from LAI, could get only eight votes.  

In this way, PPP won the positions of chairman, vice chairman, mayor and deputy mayor in Larkana.  

Convener LAI, former MPA Haji Munwar Ali Abbasi, along with unsuccessful candidates, held a press conference at the Larkana Press Club and rejected the election results. The former MPA said that tall claims of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding free, fair and transparent elections remained a dream once again. Abbasi alleged that voters breached secrecy during the election as they had openly cast their votes that was a sheer violation of the ECP rules and an evidence of the incompetency of concerned authorities. 

Later, elected PPP candidates, including Chairman Khan Muhammad Sangro, Vice Chairman Syed Abdul Hayee Shah, Mayor Muhammad Aslam Shaikh, Deputy Mayor Muhammad Anwar Luhar and other PPP leaders visited Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto to lay floral wreaths on the Mazar of Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and other family members. 

Meanwhile, Provincial Minister Industries Manzoor Hussain Wassan lost his own town committee, Kot Diji, as his nominated candidates Khadim Rind and Asif Bugti did not succeed, while PML-F candidates Mir Dinal and Waheed Gopang were elected as Town Committee Chairmen.  

According to unofficial results, PPP candidate Badar Memon was elected as the chairman of Hyderabad, while Bilal Laghari was elected as the vice chairman. Muhammed Aslam Shaikh and Syed Shahzaib Shah were elected as chairman and vice chairman of Sukkur, respectively.  

In Khairpur, PPP candidate Shahryar Khan Wassan was elected as the chairman and Kashif Bhabhan was elected as the vice chairman. In Ghotki, PPP candidate Haji Khan Mahar was elected as the chairman and Safdar Hussain was elected as the vice chairman. Likewise, the PPP candidates of Jacobabad, Nuasheroferoz, Shikarpur and other districts have been also been elected unopposed.