KARACHI: Several independent candidates have withdrawn their nomination papers from the by-election on National Assembly seat in Karachi, NA-240, a day before the polling, ARY News reported on Wednesday.
According to details, the National Assembly seat comprising areas of Landhi and Korangi had fallen vacant after the death of MQM-P’s senior leader Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan on April 19.
After Khan’s death, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that by-polls for the NA-240 seat will be conducted on June 16 (tomorrow).
However, a day before the polls, several independent candidates have withdrawn their nominations after being approached by others. Meanwhile, some political parties have announced their support for candidates contesting the by-polls.
Sources have claimed that independent candidate Umair Ali Anjum has withdrawn in support MQM-P’s candidate, while another candidate Naeem Hashmat has also withdrawn from the election race.
On the other hand, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Meo and Qureshi communities have announced their support for the MQM-P candidate from this constituency.
Another independent candidate Shaheen Khan has withdrawn in support of Mohajir Qaumi Movement candidate, while PML-N has announced its support for PPP candidate Nasir Lodhi.
Following the announcement of withdrawal and support, now 15 independent candidates, including six from political parties, will contest the NA-240 election.
The constituency comprises 529,855 voters including 294,385 male and 235,470 female voters. The ECP has established 309 polling stations and 1,236 polling booths.
The ECP said that the ballot papers have been printed while CCTV cameras are being installed at the sensitive polling stations. Police will be deployed at every polling station while Rangers will serve as a quick response force.
It is pertinent to mention here that ECP had declared all polling stations for the National Assembly constituency NA-240 as sensitive.
The ECP had declared 203 polling stations in the constituency ‘very sensitive’ out of 309 polling stations while the remaining 106 polling stations have been declared ‘sensitive’.
