In the second part of our series on electioneering in Sindh, we will discuss Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpur Khas divisions. Shaheed Benazir division, formerly known as Nawabshah, comprises Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad and Sanghar districts. It has six National Assembly (NA) and 13 provincial assembly (PA) seats. As per the latest delimitations, one of its districts – Sanghar – has lost one NA and one PA seat. While Mirpurkhas division comprising Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Thar district has five NA and 11 PA seats. Former president Asif Ali Zardari and his elder sister Azra Pechuho, former federal ministers Asghar Shah, Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, Shazia Marri, Nawab Yousuf Talpur, and former chief minister of Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim are testing their luck in these divisions. Let us look at it in some detail.
There are two National Assembly seats in district Naushahro Feroze. On NA 205 Naushahro Feroze-I, PPP has fielded the winner of 2018 elections Syed Abrar Ali Shah. Among 17 aspirants, his main rival is PML-N’s Syed Asghar Ali Shah. Although PPP candidates may feel the heat from voters over his performance during the last five years, Abrar Shah still seems set to win. In NA 206 Naushahro Feroze-II, 16 candidates are in the race, but the main contest is between GDA’s Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi and PPP’s Zulfiqar Behan. Jatoi lost to Behan in 2018 by a meager difference of 6,000 votes, so he will work hard to reclaim the seat. We may see an interesting contest on this seat. In four provincial assembly seats allotted to this district, a tough contest is expected on PS 34 NF-III and PS 35 NF-IV between GDA’s Shah Nawaz Jatoi and PPP’s Mumtaz Chandio (he was winner in 2018) and GDA’s Masroor Jatoi (he has returned to electoral politics after more than a decade) and PPP’s Zia Lanjar respectively. In 2018 PS 35, which was then PS 36, GDA’s Arif Mustafa Jatoi won. The margin of victory was very thin in both constituencies. On the remaining two PA seats, the opposing candidate will show some resistance but conditions are favourable for PPP candidates.
Asif Ali Zardari is facing 12 candidates on NA 207 Shaheed Benazirabad-I. His main rival is Sardar Shaer Mohammad Rind, who is running as an independent candidate with the backing of GDA, JUI-F and PML-N. Here, a repetition of 2018 results is predicted. On NA 208 Shaheed Benzairabad-II, Syed Zainulabdin Shah known as Zain Shah, grandson of GM Syed, of GDA is up against PPP’s Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah and 17 other candidates. Since 2002 elections, PPP’s Ghulam Mustafa Shah has stood victorious on this seat, and he is poised to repeat the same. There is smooth sailing for PPP candidates Azra Pechuho and Javed Iqbal Arain on PS 36 and 37 Shaheed Benazirabad I & II respectively, however, stiff competition is expected by Syed Zain Shah on PS 38 Shaheed Benaziradad-III against PPP’s Ghulam Qadir Chadio. Many anti-PPP Sindhi nationalists want to see Zain Shah in the assembly. It is interesting to note that Mr. Chandio has been returning to the Sindh Assembly since 2002. On PS 29 Shaheed Benazirabad-IV, PPP’s Bahadur Dahri will face some resistance from his rival GDA’s Arif Niaz Arain mainly due to the candidacy of Mohammad Ismail Dahri, who belongs to the same community and party.
Although Sanghar is a stronghold of the followers of Pir Pagara, PPP candidates swept all three NA seats in 2018. However due to the decrease in seats after delimitation, the situation seems difficult for PPP candidates, particularly on NA 209 Sanghar-I, where 17 candidates are vying for victory. GDA’s Mohammad Khan Junejo and PPP’s Shazia Marri are real competitors on this seat. In 2018, Shazia Marri won from NA 216 Sanghar-II by getting 80,000 votes while her close rival GDA’s Kishanchand Parwani got 70,000 votes. She lost to PML-F’s Sadaruddin Shah in 2013 elections, while she won from the same constituency in the bi-elections. Due to decrease in NA seats in district Sanghar, Marri is facing a tough competition. On the other NA seat 201 Sanghar-II, GDA’s Saira Bano is challenging PPP’s Salahuddin Junejo. Although Junejo belongs to this constituency and Saira Bano is an outsider and he has a little edge over his rival, still he has to work hard for victory on February 8. On provincial assembly seats PS 40 Sanghar-I, a close contest is expected between GDA’s Abdul Qudoos Rajar and PPP’s Naveed Dero, while on PS 41 Sanghar-II, it will be surprising if PPP’s Ali Hasan Hingoro beats GDA’s Qazi Shamsuddin. Although PPP candidates Jam Shabbir Ali, Paras Dero and Shahid Thaheem have a little edge over their rivals Jam Nafees, Niaz Hussain and Mohammad Bux of GDA on PS 42, 43, and 44 Sanghar-III, IV and V, but anything can happen on February 8, 2024.
