NA-253
The total population of NA-253 is 745,685. The number of registered voters is 400,453. A total of 230,826 male and 173,227 female voters are registered in the NA-253.
Online
Karachi
A tough competition is being expected between Mustafa Kamal, Usama Qadri and Monium Zafar Khan in NA-253 Karachi, sources said on Thursday.
The total population of NA-253 is 745,685. The number of registered voters is 400,453. A total of 230,826 male and 173,227 female voters are registered in the NA-253.
The area was earlier included in NA-244 and NA-245 both.
In 2013 general elections, MQM candidate Sheikh Salahuddin topped the list of candidates with 133,525 votes from NA-244. PTI Khalid Masood secured second position with 26,252 votes and JI Syed Muhammad Bilal third with 9,368 votes till 1pm on the polling day and secured third position.
Sector-B, 11-A, Rasheedabad, Khawaja Ajmeer Nagri, Ghot Ghulam Muhammad, Ahmed Town, Sector-5-A, 5-B, sectors 3,4, 8,9, Sector 5-D, 5-E, 5-F, 5-G, 5-H, 6-J,5-L, 5-M, sector 11-D, Lal Market, Muhammad Bin Qasim Stadium, Madina Colony, Haroon View etc are included in this constituency.
Meanwhile, MQM Sheikh Salahuddin remained winner with 174,044 votes, PPP Ghulam Qadir bagged 9,271 votes and remained runner and PTI and JI boycotted the 2008 elections. In the 2002 elections, MQM Kanwar Khalid Yunus remained winner with 51,696 and MMA Syed Munwar Hussain as runner up with 41,947 votes.
In the 2018 general elections, as many as 19 candidates are competing in the constituency. However, a tough competition is expected between MQM Usama Qadri, Pak Sir Zameen Party Mustafa Kamal and MMA candidate Monium Zafar Khan. PTI Jabbar Qureshi and PPP Ishaq Javed are also being considered strong candidates.
In the past, Urdu speaking candidates succeeded to bag heavy vote and remained winners but in the upcoming elections MQM victory seems difficult.
The constituency of NA-253 has one of the highest literacy rates in the city at 77 per cent but the voter turnout in the last two elections has been relatively low – 32 per cent in the 2002 elections and 39 per cent in 2008. This year, however, the constituency boasts the highest number of registered voters in Karachi.
Residents of the constituency seem to have had it with the deteriorating law and order situation, particularly the escalating sectarian and political violence and recurring burglaries. This year, they seem determined to exercise their right to vote.
MQM Usama Qadri has bagged victory votes for the provincial assembly seat and he has been Liquatabad Town Nazim. However, like other parts of the country, the party political activities could not be kicked off so far.
There is a perception that like other parts of the country, PTI candidate has strong position in the area and his chances of success are more than the candidates of other political parties.
