As many as seven candidates of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Wednesday filed nomination papers to contest by-election on National Assembly constituency NA-246 (Azizabad) vacated by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Nabil Gabol.
Gabol vacated the seat in stronghold of MQM after quitting as MNA last month. According to media reports, at least 20 candidates of different political parties including PTI had filed their nomination papers for the constituency.
PTI’s Imran Ismail, Firdaus Naqvi, Nazia Rabbani, Raja Athar, Usman Kohistani, Sohail Ahmed, Ahsan Qazi and Asif Memon, MQM’s Aslam Afridi, Kanwar Naveed, Abdul Sattar Ansari, Seema Zareen, PML-N’s Ayoub Khan, PPP’s Zafar Siddiqui, Hassan Pervez, and Jamaat-e-Islami’s Rashid Naseem filed their nomination papers.
Reports said that Ismail from the PTI was likely to contest the elections. Speaking to media persons, he vowed to break up the ‘idol of fear’ saying the PTI would hold a large public gatherings at Mukka Chowk and Jinnah Ground adjacent to MQM’s nerve centre, Nine Zero. He said PTI chief Imran Khan would soon arrive in Karachi and finalise the candidate for the fray.
BB NEVER SUGGESTED BOYCOTTING MQM: SHARJEEL
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) slain leader Benazir Bhutto had never suggested to boycott the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), said Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon.
Talking to media on the occasion of groundbreaking ceremony of Madir-e-Jamhoriat underpass near Lucky Star Karachi on Wednesday, Sharjeel said: “PPP wants to engage in dialogue process with every party including MQM and PTI.”
He said the PPP did not interfere in police cases, adding that the military, federal and provincial governments were on the same page in war against terror.
The minister said the underpass would be completed in four months with the cost of Rs 510 million. He added that with the construction of this underpass, the issue of traffic jam around Saddar, Zainab Market and its surrounding areas would be resolved. He said the government was adopting measures to make Shahra-e-Faisal a signal-free thoroughfare.
