PTI fields Amjad Afridi, seeks support from MQM-Pakistan

After carrying out an internal discussion to finalise a strong candidate against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s candidate, Miftah Ismail, for the upcoming by-poll in NA-249, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded one of its youth leaders, Amajd Afridi, from the constituency.

It was announced at a press conference on Saturday by PTI Karachi president and MPA Khurram Sherzaman, who said that the party’s parliamentary board had chosen Amjad Afridi from among 19 aspirants.

PTI central leader Faisal Vawda resigned from the NA-249 seat after casting his vote in the recently-held Senate elections. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the by-election will take place on April 29.

Sherzaman said that Afridi had been associated with the party for the past 16 years. He asked the voters in the constituency not to vote for any corrupt political parties.

It is expected that the PML-N’s Ismail will be a joint candidate for the Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of opposition political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and the Awami National Party.

In response to it, the PTI has also decided to seek support from its allied political parties, particularly the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, for the by-poll.

In this regard, a PTI delegation, led by Sherzaman, visited the MQM-P’s office on Saturday to seek its support for its candidate in the NA-249. The PTI leaders met MQM-P senior deputy convener Kunwar Naveed Jamil and other leaders to discuss the poll.

Jamil said the party’s coordination committee would discuss the PTI’s request to support it in the electoral contest.

The last NA-249 election had been a close contest, with Vawda securing 35,344 votes to defeat PML-N leader and former chief minister Punjab Shahbaz who polled 34,626 votes.

It comprises neighbourhoods of Baldia Town, Ittehad Town, Rasheedabad, Qaimkhani Colony, Saeedabad, Afridi Colony and other areas.