KARACHI: Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leader Fauzia Kasuri has filed her nomination papers for National Assembly Constituency NA-247 Karachi (previously NA-250). If chosen as her party’s candidate, Kasuri is expected to contest against Dr Arif Alvi from her former party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Speaking to a private TV channel, Kasuri confirmed filing her nomination papers solely on the aforementioned constituency but maintained that the final decision on her nomination rests with the party’s high command.
“I have not been told to file nomination papers from any other constituency. I requested the leadership to nominate anyone else for the seat but they told me that my candidacy is in the best interest of the party,” she said.
PSP sources have informed the private TV channel that the party has decided to field Fauzia Kasuri against Arif Alvi on NA-247. The decision which has not yet been disclosed to the public was made by the party’s election committee at its headquarters Pakistan House.
Other notable candidates contesting on this constituency are MQM-P’s Farooq Sattar, JI’s Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, PPP’s Abdul Aziz Memon and independent candidate Jibran Nasir.
There are also reports that PSP chief Mustafa Kamal would be contesting from NA-247.
Kasuri parted ways with Imran Khan-led PTI after her 22 years of association in May 2018.
In her resignation letter, she stated that since 2013, she had become increasingly disenchanted by the direction the party had taken and no longer saw it as representative of aspiration of millions of undersized citizens seeking transformative change in Pakistan.
“Furthermore, you opted to hand the reins of the party to those electable we fought against since our inception, at the cost of workers who in some cases laid down their lives for the cause,” she had stated in her resignation letter to Imran Khan. “Sadly, this was the final nail in the coffin.”
The now-PSP leader said that she won’t be hesitant or reluctant to contest election against her former party as it has now left its founding principle of merit, transparency and accountability.
“It’s the PTI which has changed, not me. I am standing on my principles. And I am looking forward to contesting against Imran’s party,” Kasuri said.
“I will give it my best,” she added.
