PPP has awarded party ticket to workers: Murad

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: The outgoing Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbni and nineteen other members of the Pakistan People’s Party – eleven of them main contenders and others covering candidates – submitted their nomination papers here on Wednesday morning.

Krishna Kumari, a Hindu woman worker of PPP from Nagarparker, incumbent Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani and senior stalwart Mola Bux Chandio were among the twelve nominees that the Pakistan People’s Party finalized for upper house of the parliament a day earlier.

According to the list issued by Bilawal House the PPP has finalized Raza Rabbani, Maula Bux Chandio, Murtaza Wahab, Ali Jamote, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Imamdin Shokeen and Ayaz Mehr have been finalized for general seats.

Dr Sikander Mandhro and Rukhsana Zuberi will contest on technocrat’s seat whereas Krishna Kohli and Quratulain Marri will contest on the seats reserved for women. Anwar Lal Dean has been finalized for minorities’ seats, according to spokesman.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Pakistan People Party maintaining its old tradition has awarded tickets for senate election to party workers.

This he said while talking to media at Election Commission of Pakistan, Karachi where he led PPP candidates, their proposers and seconders for filing nomination papers for senate election. He was accompanied by Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani, Sindh PPP President Nisar Khuhro and others. He said that PPP has selected party candidates for Senate election on merit and preference has been given to party workers. “This show the commitment of party leadership with its workers,” he said and added “the party has awarded senate tickets to Ms Kirshna of Tharparkar and Anwer Lal Dean from Karachi and both belong to lower middle class of PPP minority wing.

Replying to a question, Murad Ali Shah said that the MPAs are respected persons and they are representatives of the people of their respective constituencies. “This is wrong impression that they are being given offers for purchasing their vote,” he said and added “he [PTI MPA Khurram Sher Zaman] should tell the media who has given him offer.” He went on saying that this is just point scoring, otherwise Senate elections are being held in a democratic way.

Replying to another question, the chief minister said the MQM-Pakistan is faced with internal crisis. “The question is how they [MQM PMA] would serve their people when they are fighting with each other,” he said.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah led PPP candidates for Senate election to Election Commission of Pakistan, Karachi where they filed their nomination papers. Sindh Chief Minister proposed Mola Bux Chandio for senate election while his seconder was provincial minister Mumtaz Jakhrani. Former Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah proposed Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani.

It may be noted that 20 candidates of PPP filed nomination papers for 12 senate seats. They are Ms Kirshna Lal Kolhi, Ms Quratul Ain Marri, Ms Nida Khuhro, Ms Humaira Alwani, Mr Anwar Lal Dean, Mr Anthoni Naveed, Dr Sikandar Mendhro, Mr Rukhsana Zubairi, Dr Younis Soomro, Taj Haider, Mian Raza Rabbani, Mola Bux Chandio, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Mohammad Ali Shah Jamote, Imamuddin Shoukeen, Ayaz Maher, Barrister Murtaza wahab, Dost Ali Jessar, Javed Nayab Leghari and Qasim Soomro.