Political Giants to Test Strengths in NA-249 By-Poll Today
The locals decry about the decrepit state of road infrastructure and lack of a public healthcare facility along with water shortage in Baldia Town
The political giants belonging to different major parties are going to test their strengths in NA-249 by-poll in Karachi today.
The room for a new election in the constituency was created after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Faial Vawda had abandoned his seat after getting elected as a senator.
All major political parties will vie today in the constituency to clinch another seat in the lower house of the assembly.
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The residents of Baldia Town, which falls in the constituency, have vowed to vote for the party that would resolve their basic problems related to amenities.
While talking to News360, the locals decried about the decrepit state of road infrastructure and lack of a public healthcare facility.
The water scarcity in Baldia Town is a problem faced by generations and the promises made to redress the issue were never materialized.
The voters complained that the candidates only visit their constituency at election hour and don’t return once they make it into legislatures.
In the 2018 general elections, Vawda had bagged NA-249 seat with 35,349 votes and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif stood second at distant with just 723 votes.
30 candidates competing
The candidates from all major political parties including Mustafa Kamal — Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), Miftah Ismail — PML-N, Qadir Khan Mandokhail — Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Amjad Iqbal Afridi — PTI, Hafiz Muhammad Mursaleen— Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) and Nazeer Ahmed from proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and others will test their strengths in the NA-249 by-poll.
The candidate from Awami National Party (ANP) withdrew nomination in support of PML-N’s candidate.
Demographics
As many as 339,591 registered voters will put their fingerprints to choose their representative.
The number of male voters in the constituency is 201,656 while there are 137,935 female voters.
Electoral body reviews arrangements
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued guidelines for presiding officers (POs) for the NA-249 by-poll today.
Sindh Election Commissioner Anwar Chuhan presided over a meeting ahead of the by-election.
It was attended by related ECP and district officials along with Rangers and police.
Anwar Chuhan told that 276 polling stations comprising 796 polling booths including 458 for male and 338 for female voters have been established for the voting.
He added that ECP would remain in close liaison with provincial and district administration regarding security.
The official said paramilitary Rangers would be deployed outside polling stations citing sensitive security conditions in the constituency.
ECP would also ensure the provision of all basic facilities including uninterrupted power supply, functional washrooms, and ramp facility for disabled voters at all polling stations.
ECP official also directed the related staff to strictly ensure compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) including frequent use of hand sanitizers, use of face mask, and maintenance of social distancing.
