PTI to field ‘stronger candidate’ for PS-114 by-elections

Four days after announcing its candidate for the PS-114 by-polls, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Friday decided to field another ‘stronger candidate’ instead in a bid to give a tough time to rival political parties.

On Monday, the PTI had announced Chaudary Owais - the party’s district East leader - as its candidate for the by-polls; however, after consultations with party’s leadership in the constituency, the PTI decided to field Engineer Najeeb Haroon as its candidate. Haroon is a senior PTI official counted among the party’s founding members.

The decision to change the candidate was confirmed by other leaders of the party. “We have to fight against key leaders of rival parties – Senator Saeed Ghani of the Pakistan Peoples Party and probably Siddique of the MQM,” stated a PTI Karachi leader while speaking to The News.

“Therefore we also fielded our former Karachi president Haroon, who is popular among the constituency’s populace”. The PTI will officially announce the nomination today (Saturday)”.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had on May 11 ordered a re-vote in the PS-114 following the dismissal of Pakistan Mulsim League – Nawaz’ (PML-N) Irfanullah Marwat’s appeal, who won the seat in 2013 general polls.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) candidate Abdu Rauf Siddiqui had challenged Marwat’s win alleging that he had rigged the polls.

Following the apex court’s decision, the Election Commission of Pakistan on decided to hold by-polls in the constituency on July 9.

Haroon was part of the party’s first eight-member Central Executive Committee. Others were Nazim F Haji, Hamid Khan, Owais Ghani, Dr Abdul Mateen, Abdul Hafeez Khan, Dr Parvez Hassan and Dr Muhammad Farooq. He also served as the party’s Karachi president from 1996 to 2000.

The PS-114 constituency comprises of Mehmoodabad No 1 to 6, Chanesar Goth, Manzoor Colony, Akhter Colony, Azam Basti, Kashmir Colony, Defence View and KAECHS.

In 2013’s general polls, Marwat won the seat on the PML-N’s ticket by securing 37,130 votes, defeating MQM’s Siddique, who secured 30,305 votes.

PTI’s Israr Abbasi ranked third by securing 13,807 votes while the PPP’s candidate, Sajjad Ahmed Pappi, could only secure 3,827 votes, ranking fourth.

The PPP announced its Karachi secretary general Ghani as its candidate for the constituency, while the MQM and PML-N are yet to announce their respective candidates.