District Government Sukkur - DGS Web Portal
| 06 August 2008
SUKKUR, Feb 5: The Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Q candidates have launched electioneering on two National Assembly and four Provincial Assembly seats in Sukkur district while candidates of other parties are still in low profile.A strong contest is expected on NA-199 between Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah of the PPP and Taj Mohammad Shaikh of the PML-Q, and on NA-198 between Noman Shaikh of the PPP and Syed Tahir Hussain Shah of the PML-Q. The candidates are busy in addressing corner meetings, talk shows and seminars.
After negotiating between Sindh president Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and MQM leader Babar Khan Ghouri last week in Karachi, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has made seat adjustment on NA-198 from where its candidates Munawwar Chohan has abdicated in the favour of PML- Q candidate Tahir Hussain. Tahir Hussain who faced problems now claims of making progress.
Majority of voters of this constituency in New Sukkur city are supporters of the MQM which has infused in him hopes of defeating
Nauman Shaikh, son of former Senator Islamuddin Shaikh.
Khursheed Shah faced lots of problems on NA-199 before the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. He had shifted from NA-198 to pave way for Nauman Shaikh on the intervention of Asif Ali Zardari.
Sources close to Islamuddin Shaikh claim of gaining victory due to follow-up of events after December 27, and are pinning hopes on Urdu and Sindhi speaking voters. However, Tahir Hussain Shah’s circle is claiming that Islamuddin Shaikh’s position is weak since he has changing loyalties too often.
Dr Nasrullah Baloch, contesting on PS-1 against the MQM’s Saeed Iqbal Malik is having a tough time because of the MQM’s influence in Sukkur city taluka and due to its control on the taluka administration. President of Sindh Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Sami) Maulana Asad Thanvi is contesting on this seat as an independent candidate. In 2002, he lost to Khursheed Shah by a big margin on NA-198.
JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul-Haq has announced boycott of the polls, therefore Asad Thanvi has chosen to contest as an independent candidate. He made seat adjustment with the PML-N, when Nawaz Sharif arrive in Sukkur on December 24, to give way to PML-N candidate Hafiz Masroor Latif on NA-198.
On PS-2, JUI’s Abdul Ghani Khoso has the backing of the PML-Q and against him in the close run is the former MPA of the PPP Haji Ali Anwar Mahar. This constituency covers the rural areas of Sukkur and a close contest will be seen between the two.
On PS-3, PML-Q candidate Haji Khan Chachar and the PPP’s Jam Saifullah Dharejo are contesting while on PS-4 Zahid Hussain Shah of the PML-F has bright chances against Jawed Shah of the PPP.