Murtaza Wahab of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured a decisive victory in the local government by-elections, becoming the chairman of UC-13 Saddar Town in Karachi.
Murtaza Wahab received a substantial 3,976 votes, whereas his competitor, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Noorul Islam, managed 1,566.
The victory led to jubilant celebrations among PPP supporters, featuring traditional dance and festivities. Wahab joined the celebrations, addressing party workers and highlighting the Bhutto family’s ongoing influence in Pakistani politics. He also suggested that this win could foreshadow success in the upcoming general elections, indicating that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari might become the next prime minister.
Other PPP Wins and the Broader Electoral Landscape
In addition to Wahab’s success, Deputy Mayor of Karachi Salman Murad from the PPP also achieved a notable victory in UC 7 Gadap, garnering 4,717 votes. In UC-3 of TMC Mari Port town, PPP’s Saifullah Noor emerged victorious with 5,466 votes. These wins illustrate the PPP’s strong performance in the local government by-elections.
The by-elections were conducted in nine districts across Karachi, with polling stations open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 54 candidates from various parties contested these nine seats, with the constituencies registering over 200,000 voters. The election day saw heightened security measures, with all polling stations declared “sensitive” or “highly sensitive.”
Last week, Jamaat-e-Islami filed a petition in the Sindh High Court to prevent Wahab from participating in the by-elections. The petition, filed by JI Karachi Deputy Ameer Raja Arif Sultan, argued that Wahab’s candidacy violated the Election Act’s Code of Conduct and the Local Government Act. The petitioner cited Clause 16(B) of the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan, which prohibits public officeholders from engaging in political activities or election campaigns in any constituency.
