The Hazarawal in Karachi are in a fix as they have received invitation card from every party to ride their boat in the upcoming election to strengthen their vote bank in multi-ethnic areas of the metropolis, but they are confused to identify the party which would help them to reach at their destination of a separate province.
Hazarawal has divided the vote bank in multi-ethnic areas by entering in election race with their own separate party which is Tehreek Soba Hazara Pakistan (TSHP). Earlier, the vote of Hazarawal went to Awami national Party (ANP) and Punjabi Pakhtoon Ittehad (PPI) as they had presence in Pakhtoon and Punjabi-speaking dominated areas.
TSHP fielded its candidates for four National Assembly and nine provincial assembly seats in Karachi. The national assembly seats from where Hazarawal would contest elections are NA-239, NA-241, NA-250 and NA-258. The provincial assembly of Sindh seats from where TSHP candidates would contest elections are PS-89, PS-90, PS- 92, PS-93, PS-103, PS-113, PS-114, PS-129 and PS-130.
All parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) have invited the Hazarawal to vote, but they still seem confused.
TSHP, a new political party, would contest the general elections for first time in the country’s history, and has called an emergency meeting and started looking for options.
There were reports from PS-93 that TSHP candidate Ali Akhtar Tanoli withdrew in favor of MQM candidate but party leadership claimed that it has no idea about this development.
“MQM, JI, PML-N and PTI leaders held meetings with TSHP provincial leadership and invited us to withdraw candidates in favour of their candidates,” an insider in the party told Pakistan Today.
“PTI former General Secretary Dr Arif Alvi held a meeting with TSHP and requested the party to withdraw its candidates in favour of PTI, but the party sought two-days time to think about their proposal,” he added.
“The JI wished that TSHP withdraw its candidates in its favour, but the party would take decision after meeting the JI leadership on Thursday (today). Like this, the PML-N provincial assembly PS-114 candidate Irfanullah Marwat representing its party had requested TSHP to withdraw its candidates in favour of the PML-N,” he maintained.
“Earlier, the JUI-F and PML-F also sent invitations to TSHP to gather vote and support of Hazarawal in elections, but party would decide all on Thursday,” he added.
Talking to Pakistan Today, TSHP Sindh President Sardar M Iqbal said the party would contest for some seats in Karachi, a stronghold of MQM, for the first time. “We will contest for nine provincial Sindh and four national seats from Karachi,” he said, adding that the party had divided Karachi in three zones and TSHP would contest and nominate candidates for coming elections from all zones.
“These zones are east, west and south,” he said, adding that “Baldia Town areas Abidabad, Rasheedabad, Mterovill, Mominabad, Zia Colony, Faqir Colony, Hazra Colony, Jaddah Colony, Ittehad Town, Gulshan-e-Ghazi, Musharraf Colony, Frontier Colony, Shershah, Keamari, Hawksby, Hijrat Colony, Sultanabad and Maripur are placed in west-zone while Future Colony, Mansehra Colony, Muzzafarabad Colony, Sherpao Colony, Awami Colony, Qadafi Town, Zaffar Colony, Muhammad Nagar, Bhains Colony, Shah Latif Town, Gulzar Colony, Qayyaumabad, Bilal Colony and Allahwala Town were placed in east-zone.”
“In the above mentioned east and west zones, TSHP has almost 90 percent of Hazarawaal population,” he said, adding that Akhtar Colony, Azam Basti, Kalapul, Manzoor Colony and Mehmoodabad were placed in south-zone. In south zone, they had 50 percent Hazarawal population, Iqbal added.
