KARACHI – MQM won six times, Jamat-I-Islami won four times and only once Independent candidate won the election.
NA-246 is the most historic and important constituency of Karachi. From 1970 to 2015, there are 10 general and 2 by-elections conducted in this constituency.
MQM claims victory for six times, Jamat-i-Islami four times and independent candidate won only once.
NA-246 consisted of Liaqatabad, Federal B Area and Gulberg Town. All the contesting parties put on all their heart out efforts in their campaign for the election day.
The first general election in this area took place in 1970 when it was NA-132 in the East Pakistan, and during the general elections of 1977 it was the part of the National Assembly seat as NA-186.
It is very surprising that during 1970 and 1977 the senior leader of Jamat-I-Islami Professor Ghafoor Ahmad (late) claimed the clear majority.
During the non-party elections of 1985, this constituency was again NA-186, 5 candidates came to contest the elections and Muzaffar Ahmad Hashmi of Jamat-i-Islami took 20,647 votes and won the election. While Syed Sadaat Ali Qadri of Jamiat Ullema-e-Pakistan took 18,015 votes and came second.
From 1988 to 1997 this constituency remains NA-188. During the elections of 1988, five candidates contested the elections and MQM supported Independent candidate Syed Muhammad Aslam took 131,012 votes and claimed the heavy victory over the rest four candidates.
In 1990 election, Syed Muhammad Aslam of Haq Group (MQM) took 142,591 votes and won the election.
During the 1993 general election, 14 candidates fought the election and Muzaffar Ahmad Hashmi of Pakistan Islamic Front won the election with 12,235 votes. It is to be noted that during the 1993 election MQM boycotted the election due to Karachi Operation of 1992.
However during the general elections 1997 MQM contested the election and its candidate Hassan Alvi dominantly won the elections with 105,323 votes. Interestingly, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf fought in this election and its candidate Ashraf Jabar Qureshi could only manage to take 1,434 votes.
From 2002 to present this constituency is NA-246. During 2002 election Haji Aziz-Ullah Brohi of MQM won the election with 53,134 votes in contest with other nine candidates.
Haji Aziz-Ullah resigned from the Assembly in March 2004 and then By-elections were conducted in this constituency on May 12, 2004 and again MQM’s Nisar Ahmad won with 47,665 votes.
Rashid Naseem of JI took 16,895 votes and set himself at the second spot. The election of May 12, 2004 are said to be the bloodiest in the history of Karachi where 12 persons killed on the polling day i.e May 12, 2004. More than half a dozen of deceased belonged to the Jamat-i-Islami.
In elections 2008, again MQM’s candidate, Sufyan Yousuf, bagged the victory with 186,933 votes with PPP’s candidate took only 6,741 votes. Jamat-i-Islami boycotted the election due to the bloody episode of May 12.
Finally, during the general elections 2013, nine candidates contested the elections and Nabeel Gabol of MQM won the election with 137,874 votes, while Amir Sharjeel of PTI and Rashid Naseem of Jamat-i-Islami took 31,875 and 10,514 votes respectively. Important thing is that Jamat-i-Islami boycotted the 2013 election on the Election Day at 11 am.
Now, 14 candidates are contesting the election of 23 April 2015, and the main contest is between JI, PTI and MQM.
In the very warm environment there in the elections, PPP endorse its support to the MQM while the ruling party PML-N sided with JI. The JUI-F of Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman also puts its weight on the JI’s Bucket.
The April 23rd will decide the fate of NA-246 and the contestants competing in the by-elections.
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