The Election Commission has changed the by-poll date for a National Assembly seat (NA-258) in Karachi’s Malir district. The polling will now be held on November 28th instead of November 24th.
According to Sindh Election Commissioner Tanveer Zaki the polling date has been changed on the request of Director General Rangers due to the defence exhibition 2016.
The NA-258 seat fell vacant after the resignation of Abdul Hakeem Baloch, who quit the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and joined the Pakistan People’s Party.
He is now contesting the by-election from the same constituency on a PPP ticket.
The constituency comprises of Malir and Gadaap areas of Muslimabad, Ibrahim Haideri, Rerhi Goth, Cattle Colony, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Bin Qasim, Gaggar, Kator, Memon Goth, Sindh and Baloch Goth etc.
The constituency was traditionally considered a PPP stronghold but in the 2013 elections PML-N candidate Hakeem Baloch won the seat.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Muhammad Hanif Bangash, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Ikran Shah and Sunni Tehreek’s Munawwar Ali Gabol are among those contesting the election.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan has however announced a boycott of the by-election.
