NA-249 ( National Assembly Elections )
NA-249 by-polls in Karachi on April 29 as per schedule
The Election Commission of Pakistan has informed the Sindh government that the by-election in NA-249 constituency in Karachi will be held on April 29.
According to sources, the ECP has decided to hold by-elections in NA-249 as per schedule.
The ECP has ordered strict implementation of coronavirus SOPs during the by-polls in NA-249. Special staff will also be deployed for implementation of coronavirus SOPs.
A day earlier, the constituencys district returning officer Nadeem Haider had confirmed that ECP had rejected a request made by PPP, MQM and PTI seeking a postponement of the NA-249 by-elections.
“There has been no change in the by-election date. The by-poll will be held on April 29,” said the DRO.
The Sindh government, PTI and MQM in a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), had requested postponement of the NA-249 by-election until the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic subsides.
However, the move was opposed by the PML-N. - Posted on : 23-April-2021
PTI gains PPP leader Mujahid Baloch’s support for NA-249
As part of its efforts to retain its seat in the NA-249 by-poll, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has succeeded in bringing former provincial minister KS Mujahid Baloch into its ranks.
Baloch, who was the Pakistan Peoples Party candidate in PS-115, a provincial assembly seat falling in NA-249, has formally announced at a gathering in the constituency that he had joined the PTI.
In 2017, Baloch had joined the PPP after ending his long relationship with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. He has also served as provincial minister for local government and union council Nazim in Baldia Town.
His son Salman Baloch was elected MNA from then NA-239, a constituency that comprised Keamari and some areas of Baldia Town, on the MQM’s ticket in the 2013 general election. PTI Karachi president and MPA Khurram Sher Zaman, while welcoming Baloch into the party ranks, said the PPP-led provincial government during its 14 years of rule did not carry out any development project in Baldia Town. “We are asked where is PTI?” Sher Zaman said. “We say that the PTI is working everywhere in the city.” - Posted on : 22-April-2021
Sindh requests ECP to postpone NA-249 by-election over coronavirus fears
In its letter to the ECP, the Sindh government said that most of the cities in Pakistan were reporting a high positivity ratio and fatalities due to the virus.
The by-election in the constituency is scheduled for April 29. The National Assembly seat fell vacant after PTI’s Faisal Vawda resigned following his election as a senator last month.
The Sindh government noted in its letter that the number of virus cases was rising in Hyderabad and Karachi.
“The daily situation reports of last week show remarkable increase in positivity percentage rising from 3% to 7.8%, which is alarming,” it read.
“The electoral campaign, gatherings, corner meetings and processions will definitely aggravate the situation.” - Posted on : 19-April-2021
ANP withdraws from NA-249 by-poll in favour of PML-N’s Miftah Ismail
The Awami National Party (ANP) on Wednesday announced the withdrawal of its candidate for the upcoming by-elections in NA-249 Karachi, scheduled for April 29, in favour of PML-Ns Miftah Ismail.
The seat had fallen vacant after Faisal Vawda of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf resigned from the National Assembly for his Senate seat. In the 2018 general elections, Vawda had defeated PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif with a narrow margin.
The ANP had fielded Haji Aurangzeb Khan Buneri, but the party withdrew his candidacy after talks with the PML-N.
The development comes a day after the ANP parted ways with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — an anti-government alliance of opposition parties — following the issuance of a show-cause notice to it by PDM general secretary and PML-N senior vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The notice was served to the ANP for its support to the PPP candidate in the Senate opposition leader election. - Posted on : 08-April-2021
TLP rift may split Barelvi votes in NA-249 by-election
The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) had emerged as one of the major political groups in the NA-249 constituency by ranking third after securing over 23,000 votes and winning one of the provincial assembly seats in Baldia Town.
However, the religious party has been facing a crisis ahead of the upcoming by-election, as one of its key leaders has been independently contesting against the TLP’s nominated candidate.
The last NA-249 election had been a close contest, with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Faisal Vawda securing 35,344 votes to defeat the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s central leader and former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, who had polled 34,626 votes.
But the TLP had ranked third in the constituency during the last general elections after bagging 23,981 votes and had also won one of the two PA seats falling under the National Assembly constituency. - Posted on : 03-April-2021
PML-N sends its KP chief to help Miftah Ismail
Eager to win the crucial NA-249 by-poll, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s central leadership is sending its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president, Amir Muqam, to help its candidate, Miftah Ismail, with his campaign for the electoral battle in the constituency, The News has learnt.
Ismail, who is also the PML-N Sindh secretary general and former federal minister, will be contesting the NA-249 by-poll slated for April 29. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and federal minister Faisal Vawda resigned from the NA-249 seat after casting his vote in the Senate elections.
Muqam will arrive in Karachi today (Saturday) and speak to a public gathering in Swat Colony, a Pashtun-majority neighbourhood located in the constituency, to woo voters to support Ismail in the poll, according to Khwaja Tariq Nazeer, the PML-N Sindh’ s secretary information.
NA-249 is among the constituencies of Karachi that border Balochistan and is comprises the entire Baldia Town, including Pashtun, Hazarewal (Hindko) and Muhajir- populated neighbourhoods with a few Baloch and Sindhi villages.
Muqam is an influential politician in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and his participation in the election campaign in Pashtun neighborhoods in the constituency can help the PML-N candidate win by-poll, according to party leaders. - Posted on : 27-March-2021
PTI board finalises Amjad Afridi for by-poll
In the wake of opposition from the party’s ranks, particularly its MPA from Baldia Town Malik Shehzad Awan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf announced on Friday that Amjad Afridi would remain its candidate for the NA-249 by-poll after the party’s parliamentary board reviewed its decision.
PTI central leader and federal minister Ali Zaidi said in a tweet on Friday that 18 PTI members had applied for the ticket for the by-election slated for April 29. “The parliamentary board deliberated for long hours. After considering all points of views, the senior leadership of the party has collectively decided that the youthful, passionate local resident and PTI District West president, Amjad Afridi, will be our candidate against the imported and NAB-tainted Pakistan Democratic Movement’s candidate,” said Zaidi, who is also a member of the parliamentary board. - Posted on : 27-March-2021
By-election date for Karachis NA-249 announced
By-polls on the NA-249 seat in Karachi will be held on April 29, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced Thursday.
The ECP issued a detailed schedule for the by-election.
Nomination papers can be submitted from March 13 to March 17. Candidates withdrawing from the by-elections will be able to withdraw their papers by April 7.
The scrutiny process will start on March 25.
PTIs Faisal Vawda previously occupied the seat, but resigned after voting in the Senate elections on March 3. He won the seat during the 2018 general election. - Posted on : 12-March-2021