Pakistan elections: 'It's too early for Bhutto' - Sindh
Partly because of a lack of grooming, Bilawal has fallen short of expectations
Besides the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), there are other smaller provincial parties that are also in the running as well as independents.
There is also the issue of some candidates switching over to other parties, which is likely to tilt the scales in the provincial and even national assembly compositions.
Consequently, this will impact the formation of political alliances, as well as the government. Some of the heavyweights fighting in this election in Sindh are: PPP’s Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah on NA-199-Sukkur against MQM’s Zaheer Ahmad and PTI’s Rab Nawaz Kalwar. A more interesting contest is between PPP-SB’s Ghinwa Bhutto and president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur from PPP. On NA 218 is PPP’s Makhdoom Amin Fahim and on NA-230 PTI’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi is fighting against PPP’s Pir Noor Mohammad Shah Jeelani.
In Karachi, on NA-249 is MQM’s Dr Farooq Sattar against PPP’s Abdul Aziz Menon and on NA-250 is MQM’s Khushbaqt Shujaat against PPP’s Mohammad Rashid Hussain Rabbani and PTI’s Arifur Rahman Alvi.
Lack of grooming
Partly because lack of political grooming, a visible dearth of passion for politics despite the rhetorical statements and few public appearances and the inability to step into his mother’s shoes because of security threats, Bilawal has been unable to cut a charismatic figure, so far.
Despite some changes resulting because of a number of factors, including the dismal violence in Karachi over the past many months, the PPP is likely to retain its lead in the province.
— Source: Parliament composition and constituency contenders (Election Commission of Pakistan) Estimated vote bank (Dawn)
