In the lead-up to the Karachi mayoral elections, Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah reaffirmed that the position rightfully belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Having emerged as the largest party in the local body elections, PPP believes it deserves the mayoral slot in the metropolis. However, despite their victory, PPP fell short of securing the required simple majority of 179 votes for the seat.

The dynamics of the mayoral race took an intriguing twist when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) threw its support behind Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) for the coveted post. With PTI’s backing, Hafiz Naeem now stands in a formidable position to be elected as the mayor. He claims that his party has enough seats to establish a local government in Karachi, with their total reaching 191 through a coalition with PTI.

Minister Nasir Hussain Shah expressed PPP’s willingness to work with Hafiz Naeem for the city’s development, emphasizing their respect for him. He also stated that in the upcoming mayoral elections on June 15, everyone is free to vote according to their conscience, and their decision will be respected. The minister further mentioned that some key PTI leaders had distanced themselves from the party following the events of May 9.

According to the recent notification by the district returning officer, PPP secured the highest number of reserved seats with 51, followed by JI with 43, PTI with 20, and PML-N with six. It remains to be seen how the alliances and dynamics will play out in the upcoming mayoral elections, shaping the future of Karachi’s local governance.