PPP To Face Tough Electoral Competition In Hyderabad As Opponents Joining Hands

A tough electoral battle is underway in PS 62 Qasimabad and PS 63 Hyderabad rural where Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is trying to defend its historic electoral victory.

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jul, 2018 ) :A tough electoral battle is underway in PS 62 Qasimabad and PS 63 Hyderabad rural where Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is trying to defend its historic electoral victory.

After withdrawal of PTI's Mehfooz Ursani in favour of GDA's Ayaz Latif Plijo, a three-way competition among the candidates of PPP, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Sindh Taraqi Pasand party has gripped Qasimabad in PS-62.

According to GDA and PTI sources, the PTI has withdrawn Ursani in favour of GDA'a Palijo who has so far received support of MMA, Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen and some other parties as well.

PTI's Sindh president Dr. Arif Alvi through a letter has intimated Election Commission of Pakistan that the party has withdrawn its candidate for PS 62 Qasimabad.

The constituency has been successively electing the PPP's candidates, Zahid Hussain Bhurgari was elected MPA in 2002 and 2008 and Jam Khan Shoro in 2013.

But, in the ongoing campaign GDA's Ayaz Latif Palijo- who seems buoyed by around 15,000 votes which he secured against 26,000 of Shoro in 2013- and STP's chairman Dr Qadir Magsi have together thrown a strong challenge to the PPP.

The constituency's population is 304,899 according to 2017 census and 132,864 people including 70,067 male and 62,797 female voters are registered.

There will be 103 polling stations including 41 for male, 40 for female and 22 for combined voters while 334 polling booths divided in 176 for male and 158 for female voters are being set up.

Unlike PS 62, which was formerly named PS 47, PS 63 happens to be an old constituency which has been electing MPAs from the PPP since the party was formed. The Constituencies comprises of the rural population in Hyderabad bordering Matiari, Tando Allahyar and Tando Muhammad Khan districts.

The PS 63, which was formerly called PS 50 and PS 37, elected Syed Naveed Qamar Zaman Shah in 1988, Pir Syed Amjad Hussain Shah from 1990 to 2008 and Sharjeel Memon in 2013 to the Sindh Assembly.

However, in the ongoing election Tabdeeli Pasand Party's chief Ali Qazi is offering a formidable challenge to Memon who is in jail charged with a corruption reference by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Qazi has received the support of PTI and GDA, besides other political and religious parties, for his candidacy.

In reciprocity, Qazi is backing the PTI's candidate, Khawand Bux Jahejo, on NA 225, which consists of PS 62 and PS 63 constituencies, .

Jahejo, who contested 2013 election on PS 50 which has been renamed as PS 63, was polled 19,369 against 35,652 of PPP's Memon.

The population of Hyderabad rural is 466,770 with some 160,241 voters, including 85,990 male and 74,251 female registered to vote.

As many as 124 polling stations have been set up with 17 each for male and female and 90 for combined voters, having 371 polling booths divided into 197 for male and 174 for female voters.