Shehbaz Sharif is among PML-N candidates for Karachi seats

Announcing its candidates for Karachi’s seats for the upcoming general elections scheduled to be held on July 25, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, following the footsteps of the Pakistan People Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has decided to field its central president, Shehbaz Sharif, as well.

The PPP has also fielded its young chairperson, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, from Lyari’s NA-246 constituency, while the PTI chief will be contesting from NA-243, a constituency comprising Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Johar.

The PML-N on Thursday announced that its central president, Shehbaz Sharif, will contest the election from NA-249 (Baldia Town). The party had earlier hinted at fielding its president and former Punjab chief minister from three constituencies in the city, but in the final list, the PML-N leadership has only finalised NA-249.

Shah Muhammad Shah, the PML-N’s provincial president, has been contesting elections from NA-238 (Malir), while Senator Saleem Zia has been facing the PPP’s Bilawal in NA-246 Lyari. The party has given a ticket to former finance minister Miftah Ismail for NA-244 East.

The party has also fielded Afnanullah Khan, son of the party’s central leader Senator Mushaidullah Khan, to contest the election to NA-247 (Clifton, Burnes Road).

In the 2013 general polls, the PML-N won one National Assembly and three Sindh Assembly seats from different parts of Karachi. However, three of its elected parliamentarians -- MNA Abdul Hakeem Baloch, Irfanullah Marwat and Humayun Khan – left the PML-N. Baloch and Khan have been contesting polls on the PPP ticket. Marwat has been contesting from his constituency PS-104 as a candidate of the Grand Democratic Alliance, while Jamot has fielded his nephew Mehmood Alam Jamot from his constituency on the PPP ticket.

However, the PML-N performed well in the local government polls held in December 2015 and won some of the union committees of West, Malir and South districts.

Party candidates

The party’s other candidates for the National Assembly elections from Karachi are: Syed Rahim Shah (NA-236 Malir), Zainul Abideen Ansari (NA-237 Malir), Rana Ehsan (NA-239 Korangi), Rao Muhammad Jamil (NA-241Korangi), Haji Sharafat Khan (NA-242 East), Shaikh Muhammad Shah Jahan (NA-243-East), Khwaja Tariq Nazeer (NA-245 East), Salman Khan (NA-248 West), Syed Munawar Raza (NA-250 West), Fahad Shafiq (NA-251West), Muhammad Ayub Khan (NA-252 West), Khalid Mumtaz Advocate (NA-255-Central), Nasiruddin Mehmood (NA-255 Central) and Dost Muhammad Faizi (NA-256 Central).

From Malir district’s provincial assembly seats, the party has announced Abdul Jalil Brohi for PS-87, Rana Ehsan for PS-88, Fayyaz Ali Pathan for PS-99, Shahid Iqbal Arain for PS-90 and district president Malik Muhammad Taj for PS-91.

For the Korangi district, the party has awarded tickets to Asmat Anwar Mehsud for PS-92, Muhammad Akbar for PS-93, Muhammad Rafiq for PS-94, Riaz Ahmed for PS-95, Nusratullah Khan for PS-97 and Haji Muhammad Iqbal for PS-98.

For District East, the party has fielded Chaudhary Muhammad Jamil for PS-99, Suba Khan for PS-100, its women wing leader Parveen Bashir for PS-101, Shaikh Yasir Adeel for PS-102, Aashiq Gujjar for PS-103, Rana Iftikhar for PS-104, Tariq Mehmood for PS-105 and Adil Niaz Khan Tanoli for PS-106.

For the South district, the party has awarded tickets to Adam Ishaq for PS-107, Sultan Bahadur for PS-108, Tanveer Khan for PS-109, Waseem Vohra for PS-110 and Shaikh Javed Mir for PS-111.

From the West district, the party has fielded Saeedullah Afridi from PS-114, Saleheen Tanoli from PS-116, Imtiaz Khan for PS-117, Amanullah Khan for PS-118, Muhammad Aslam Khattak for PS-120, Abdul Nabi Brohi for PS-121 and Noor Hasan Brohi for PS-122.

From the Central district, its candidates are: Umair Fayaz for PS-123, Mudasir Rahim for PS-124, Zareen Shaheen for PS-126, Muhammad Babar Khan for PS-127, Mohsin Javed Dar for PS-128 and Muhammad Jahanzib Alam for PS-130.