Business leaders take center stage as political nominees in elections 2024
KARACHI. Feb 02: As Karachi gears up for the 2024 elections, various political parties, including MQM-Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami, PPP, GDA, PML-N, ANP, PTI, Stability Pakistan Party, and others, have strategically nominated businessmen and industrialists for national and provincial assembly seats in the city.
In the National Assembly seats of Shahr Quaid, MQM secured victories with Dr. Arshad Wahra, Sadiq Iftikhar, Humayun Sultan, Farhan Chishti, and Muhammad Iqbal Khan Mehsud. Meanwhile, PPP nominated candidates like Salim Mandviwala, Dr. Mirza Akhtar Baig, Abdul Bar, Mohammad Hasan Khan, Abdul Waheed, and Khawaja Sohail Mansoor for various constituencies.
Jamaat-e-Islami put forward Shiraz Khan Jadoon, Irfan Ahmed, Mohammad Ishaq Khan, and Babar Khan, while PTI nominated Khurram Sherzaman. PML-N's nominees include Rehan Qaiser Sheikh, Khawaja Ghulam Shoaib, and Qadir Kalamati.
On the Sindh Assembly seats, PPP selected Asad Hanif, Mohammad Naqi, Arif Hussain Qureshi, Rizwan Rafiq, and Rizwan Irfan. Jamaat-e-Islami nominated Junaid Mukati, Mohammad Zikr Laghadi, MQM fielded Mohammad Dilawar, and GDA presented Tariq Ali Sarki. ANP's nominee is Kabir Kakar.
Welcoming the involvement of traders and industrialists in politics, Khawaja Jamal Sethi, head of Karachi Traders Alliance, expressed optimism that their representation in assemblies would address the challenges faced by the business community. Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the positive impact of business leaders participating in policymaking.
Babar Khan, nominated candidate of Jamaat-e-Islami and CEO of FB Area Industrial Development Management Company, outlined the party's plans to address industrial and commercial issues through a comprehensive one-window scheme and revise agreements for gas exploration.
MQM Pakistan leader Hasan Sabir highlighted the party's commitment to effective representation of the business community in the National and Sindh Assembly seats. People's Party leader Waqar Mehdi noted that the nomination of business community members aims to empower them in solving their issues through legislative channels. Additionally, several independent candidates from the business community are participating in the elections.
