Elections 2018: MQM’s Rauf Siddiqui to face off Zardari in Nawabshah

NAWABSHAH: The elections 2018 will bring along some sought-after contests between seasoned politicians from provincial and National Assembly constituencies. One such contest is expected between Rauf Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (Bahadurabad group) and Pakistan Peoples’ Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in NA-213 Nawabshah.

The MQM-P leader who has his roots in Nawabshah, will have to take on former president Zardari. Mr Siddiqui will also contest for PS-38 Nawabshah city, the seat for which Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal candidate Najaf Raza has also submitted papers. Ms Afshan Iqbal Keerio and Ms Zahida Yaseen Qureshi have also filed nomination papers for NA-213 and NA-214.

MQM had twice won the seat in past when Abdul Majeed and Asim Kabeer Khanzada triumphed but consecutively lost it to PPP in 2002, 2008 and 2013 elections.

The PPP has been wining the seat at NA-213 for last three elections. Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, sister of Zardari, this time refrained from contesting NA seat and she would be given a provincial assembly ticket from PS-37.

In her place, Zardari will be contesting from NA-213. Before he assumed the office of President in September 2008, Zardari had twice been elected to National Assembly and once as Senator. Before marrying former PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in 1987, he contested the 1985 non-party elections, but lost. Zardari later became an MNA in the 1990 elections for the first time with Benazir serving as leader of the opposition as Nawaz Sharif secured premiership.