Shehbaz Sharif to contest elections from NA-242 in Karachi

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced he would compete in the polls from Karachi’s constituency, NA-242, Geo News reported.

Last time Shehbaz contested from Karachi’s NA-249 constituency which he lost to the then-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda.

On December 23, Muttahida Qaumi Movemment-Pakistan (MQM-P) termed reports about the MQM-P’s seat adjustment with PML-N in NA-242 “baseless”, saying no seat adjustment had been decided with the Punjab-based party in district Keamari.

The MQM-P spokesperson said party's Senior Deputy Convenor Mustafa Kamal was the party's candidate for the seat.

Addressing a news conference in Karachi after meeting MQM-P leadership today, Shehbaz said the public transport issue in Karachi would be resolved, provided that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was voted to power on February 8.

The former prime minister said: “The issue of transport will be resolved for good under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif after February 8. People have to make Nawaz Sharif successful through votes."

He discussed political situation and election matters among other things with the MQM-P leadership, thanking the Karachi-based party for its cooperation during the last government. Sources said a committee would discuss the matter of seat adjustment between PML-N and MQM in two to three days.

Vowing to transform Karachi and resolve the residents’ basic issues after PML-N came into power, Shehbaz said Nawaz would end the problem of water scarcity. The coming election would decide Pakistan’s future, he added.

Karachi was the city of lights and gateway to Pakistan, he said, adding that they all had to work collectively to tackle the challenges. “Why did the Green Line project take five to six years? While Metro Bus was established in Lahore in 11 months,” he said.

The PML-N president admitted the coalition government led by him could not reduce the “inherited inflation” during their rule of 16 months. He said he had visited Karachi many a time. The metropolis should be given its right, he added.

The former premier said Karachi paid trillions of rupees in tax yet the tanker mafia provided water to the citizens. He said the Karachi to Hyderabad motorway had vanished and the traffic was completely slow on the artery. "The motorway will also be constructed if Nawaz Sharif became the prime minister," he said.

He said Karachi was a hub of banking, shipping, and trade as well as the highest tax-paying city, but the broken roads and dilapidated buses ruled here, he added.

He also vowed to strengthen relations with the MQM after the latter supported the coalition government rule.