In Sultanabad, politics and business converge

Karachi
A street away from the US consulate on MT Khan Road, dozens of people gathered outside an election office to discuss the long anticipated local bodies polls. The office belongs to Haji Musa alias Haji Hindustan, an independent candidate being backed by the Karachi-based business tycoons, the Al-Haj Group.
One of the discussants was Sakhiur Rehman Afridi, who happened to be running Musa’s electoral campaign. He said the polls would prove to be an easy win for the Shaheen panel as it was being sponsored by the prominent group of businessmen.
Headed by Taj Muhammad Afridi, the central contractor transporting Nato fuel from Karachi to US bases in Afghanistsan, had already had a successful entry into the national level politics after being elected senator from Fata; whereas his brother, Shahjee Gul Afridi was elected MNA from NA-45, Khyber Agency, during the 2013 general elections. However, it was the first time the business group had focused its attention on Karachi, by fielding Musa – the brothers’ business manager – for the slot of Sultanabad union committee’s chairman. He would run for the chairman of district West’s UC-46, a constituency comprising of Sultanabad, Intelligence Colony and Gulshan-e-Sikandarabad.
According to Sakhiur Rehman the group had chosen Musa due to his repertoire, since he was known for carrying out social services in the area. “Unlike the other communities living in the city, affluent personalities have no interests in the city’s politics,” he told The News. “Our group’s entry into politics would serve as a good omen not only for the neighbourhood but also for the Pashtun community.”
Contesting against panels of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Awami National Party (ANP), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) among a total of six, Musa’s main contender was believed to PPP’s candidate Haji Barkat Jadoon; a relative of former provincial minister Akhter Hussain Jadoon.
The PTI had fielded Aziz Afridi, the party’s former secretary general in Karachi, while the ANP’s candidate was Ali Muhammad Kakar. During a visit to Sultanabad, some residents told The News that Al-Haj Group’s participation in this year’s local bodies polls had posed a real challenge to other candidates. The streets of the union committee, comprising of three localities, were filled with posters and flags of the group’s panel.
“Because of his strong backing, his supporters get free food and fuel, and roam around in plush cars,” said one of his rival candidates. He was also said to have been offering money to local residents and elders of the clan-based organisations of the UC. “They have also been distributing pressure cookers - their electoral symbol- free of charge.”
Local observers believed Al-Haj group had been eying the PS-89 provincial assembly seat, consisting Keamari and Sultanabad neighbourhoods.
A journalist residing in the constituency claimed the group was aiming at weakening Akhter Hussain Jadoon and Humayoon Khan - current MPA from the seat – by massively financing the UC-46 election, and later fielding their own candidate from the area, either as an independent or on the ticket of a political party.
Taj Afridi’s brother, Shaukat Afridi, was kidnapped by the Taliban in May 2008 from the Clifton area; the militants had demanded a ransom of US $60,000. He was, however, murdered by his captors in September that year, following a police raid at the place where he was being held captive.