nce a major stakeholder in Karachi’s politics, the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has strategically positioned itself to shape the city’s political landscape and potentially influence the national political scenario, thanks to its impressive performance in the recent local government polls in the metropolis.

The JI was unable to win the June 15 Karachi mayoral elections, falling short by a margin of 13 votes primarily due to 30 union council members from its ally, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), abstaining from the polling process. The PTI members thus paved the way for the Pakistan Peoples Party’s Murtaza Wahab to become the mayor of the metropolis.

However, the JI itself and a section of analysts believe that its impressive performance in the local government polls in Karachi has once again made it a significant electoral stakeholder in the city’s politics, signalling a potential impact on the upcoming general elections.

Hafiz Naeem-ur Rehman, the JI Karachi chief and the party’s mayoral candidate, has accused the PPP-led Sindh government of not only rigging the local government elections but also the mayoral poll.

“Karachi’s residents have voted for the JI. The PPP has stolen the people’s mandate,” he said.

The JI’s remarkable performance has garnered attention from political analysts and citizens alike, as it strategically positions itself to shape the city’s political landscape and potentially influence the national political scene, experts say.

“We are confident that the party’s hard work under the banner of Karachi Rights will help us regain our lost strength in the city and secure the mayor’s position,” Rehman had told a group of English print journalists before the local government polls.

He mentioned that the party had organised numerous large rallies and hundreds of protests to exert pressure on the authorities to address the city’s civic issues.

“Unfortunately, all mainstream political forces in the city, including the PPP, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, have contributed to the devastation of the city,” he stated.

Some analysts believe that this strategy has effectively changed the dynamics of politics in Karachi and instilled hope among the residents for the restoration of the city’s lost glory.

“The party’s ability to mobilise its supporters, focus on civic issues such as electricity, water shortage, infrastructure and census, and appeal to a diverse range of voters, positions it as a force to be reckoned with,” says Arshad Yousafzai, a journalist covering political parties in Karachi.

“Rehman’s success in Karachi and Maulana Hidayatur Rehman’s in Gwadar in the local government polls are two important and unique events not only for the JI but also for the country’s politics,” says Sarwar Ali, a political observer.

He notes that the JI did not bring its religious agenda into the election campaign. “The JI was the only party that vocally demanded local government elections, consistently raised urban issues, ran the election campaign under Rehman’s leadership, utilised social media effectively, and took advantage of the MQM’s boycott,” he tells The News on Sunday.

He attributes the PPP’s victory to the recent delimitation exercise while pointing out that the PTI heavily relied on former prime minister Imran Khan’s personality, despite the different dynamics of local polls.

Currently, the JI holds governments in 9 out of 25 towns in Karachi and has over 100 members in the city’s council.

While it is still early to predict the exact outcome, political analysts suggest that the party’s growing influence in the city could have a ripple effect at the national level.

Abdul Jabbar Nasir, a journalist specialising in electoral politics, says that the JI has undoubtedly benefitted from its impressive performance in the city’s electoral politics.

“If the JI attempts to go solo in the upcoming general polls, it may increase its votes, but winning more than two to three National Assembly and five to six Provincial Assembly seats would be challenging,” he tells TNS. Karachi has 21 NA and 42 PA seats.

Jabbar says the JI won most of its local government seats in areas where the voter turnout was between 6 and 20 percent. “In general elections, voter turnout is usually higher, and the MQM-P will contest the elections, thus creating a different situation for the JI.”

He says that people tend to vote in general elections based on national campaigns or figures rather than civic issues.

“Rehman’s successes in Karachi and Maulana Hidayatur Rehman’s in Gwadar in the local government polls are two important events not only for the JI but also for the country’s politics,” says Sarwar Ali, an Islamabad-based political observer who studies religious-political trends.

“JI’s central party has been working on these models to effectively mobilise its core support base and expand its influence beyond traditional strongholds,” Ali added.

It remains to be seen whether the JI’s success in Karachi will translate into broader national support. However, one thing is certain: the party has emerged as a significant player in Pakistan’s political arena, he says, adding that its role on the upcoming general elections cannot be ignored.

The writer is a journalist and researcher focusing on security, political and insurgent movements, and human rights. He tweets at @zalmayzia