Will Shia votes be divided in Karachi due to poles-apart MWM and ITP?

The Shia vote-bank in Karachi is likely to emerge as an un-ignorable factor behind success of defeat of any contestant in many constituencies.

There are more than 25 neighbourhoods in Karachi where the Shia population live in a sizable number and their support help major political parties’ candidates in winning. Prominent among these neighbourhoods are Soldier Bazaar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Abbas Town, Malir, Jafar-e-Tayyar Society, Kharadar, Ancholi, Federal B Area, Dastageer, Rizvia, Hussainabad, Hussain Hazara Goth and Mughal Hazara Goth, in addition to parts of Orangi, Surjani, Qasba, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, North and New Karachi, etc.
As a result of MWM alliance with PTI, MWM leader Syed Ali Hussain Naqvi is their joint candidate in PS-89, a District Malir’s constituency that consists of Jaffar Tayyar Society and other Shia-populated neighborhoods of Malir. Naqvi, who is the MWM’s provincial political secretary, has been contesting polls on the PTI’s electoral symbol ‘bat’.
In return, the MWM supports PTI candidates Amir Liaquat Hussain and Muhammad Ali Aziz in NA-245 and PS-105, respectively. These constituencies consist of Soldier Bazaar and the neighbouring Shia localities, where they live in a sizable number.
Separately, the MWM has fielded Allama Muhammad Ali Abidi, son of prominent Shia cleric Allama Irfan Haider Abidi, in NA-254 and Mir Taqi Zafar in PS-125, the latter retired late Monday night in favour of PTI candidate Abbas Jafari. The constituencies comprise Shia-populated areas of Ancholi, Karimabad, Gulberg and FB Area.
ITP in MMA
The Islami Tehreek Pakistan (ITP), another key Shia political party, is part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an electoral alliance of five religious parties, and fielded only one candidate under the banner of the coalition in provincial constituency PS-105, where the group’s leader, Sarwar Ali, has been contesting polls.
Led by Allama Sajid Naqvi, the ITP has been supporting the MMA candidates, especially those of the Jamaat-e-Islami, in other constituencies of the city.
So, it is acid test of all contestant parties, let alone Shia parties and their allies as how much Shia votes go to which parties’ candidates and it will also unveil who Shia voters prefer as compared to others.