The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) Pakistan has decided against participating in the by-elections on National Assembly seats at the suggestion of its coalition partners. According to media reports, the decision to boycott NA by-polls was taken in a meeting held between MQM-P leaders and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori.The final decision to contest or boycott NA by-polls would be taken in MQM’s Rabita (Coordination) Committee meeting.

The move came after the ruling coalition contacted MQM-P following Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) condition that it will not contest by-elections on vacant NA seats only if Awami National Party (ANP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) boycott the upcoming polls. The upcoming by-elections for the 33 NA seats, which fell vacant after Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf accepted the resignations of the PTI lawmakers.

Following the speaker’s decision, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced the by-elections for the 33 constituencies on March 16. The nine constituencies of Karachi where by-polls are scheduled include: NA-241 Korangi Karachi-III; NA-242 Karachi East-I; NA-243 Karachi East-II; NA-244 Karachi East-III; NA-247 Karachi South-II; NA-250 Karachi West-III; NA-252 Karachi West-V; NA-254 Karachi Central-II; and NA-256 Karachi Central-IV.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP