Winning or losing doesn’t matter, says Mustafa Kamal

The Pak Sarzameen Party on Wednesday announced the names of Arshad Vohra and Dr Yasir Siddiqui as its candidates for the by-elections in NA-247 and PS-111, two of the three electoral constituencies in the city vacated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Deputy Mayor Vohra and PSP’s national council member Siddiqui also contested the July 25 general election, but remained unsuccessful. Speaking at a press conference announcing the candidates contesting by-polls, PSP chief Kamal said winning or losing didn’t matter to them as they were “struggling for betterment.”

“I don’t want to talk on being part of the government,” Kamal said, “If our candidates get elected, their performance will stand out among others.” The party has already fielded its city president Asif Hasnain and a member Muhammad Saleem for the by-polls in NA-243 and PS-87.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the by-election in NA-243 and PS-87 will be held on October 14 and in NA-247 and PS-111 on October 21. NA-243, NA-247 and PS-111 were won by Imran Khan, Dr Arif Alvi and Imran Ismail of PTI, respectively. They fell vacant after Khan chose to keep his hometown seat of Mianwali NA-95 to become prime minister, Alvi became the president and Ismail became Sindh governor. The election on PS-87 was postponed following the death of a contestant belonging to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.

Kamal claimed that his party knew the problems of the city better and had plans to overcome them. “We want to solve all issues that are in our knowledge,” he said, hoping that his party’s electoral campaigns in the constituencies will bear fruit.

Referring to the PM’s announcement of granting nationalities to Bengalis and Afghans in the country, he said that first the government should put up the case of Biharis stranded in Bangladesh and here and redress the issue of their identity. He added that in Orangi Town alone a large number of people were denied CNICs.

Playing down the allegations of law violation against him, he said he was ready to appear before the Anti-Corruption Establishment in the Preedy Street affectees relocation case. He asked if his decision was illegal then why aren’t the families that relocated being brought back to the original place.

Kamal said he had developed a master plan for the city when he was mayor in 2007 with the assistance of international experts while the PPP merged the plan with the Sindh Building Control Authority.

He reiterated that the issues of the city will not be resolved until a fresh population count is held and the controversy about the actual population is ended.Kamal welcomed the decision of the Islamabad High Court to suspend the sentence of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Safdar Awan in the Avenfield corruption reference case.