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ISLAMABAD - MQM-Pakistan with the support of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is expected to field Dr Farooq Sattar for NA-243 Karachi seat in the bye-election.

The MQM-P is an ally of the PTI in the central government led by the latter.

Since the ‘grand opposition alliance’ has announced to field consensus candidates in the bye-elections, the government side in its new understanding is making consensus on the name of Farooq Sattar as its joint candidate.

Prime Minister Imran Khan in the recently-held general election had won the NA-243 constituency along with 4 other NA seats. The PTI chief, according to the rules, has vacated 4 seats on which bye-elections will be conducted. In NA-243, Imran had defeated former MQM-P MNA Ali Raza Abidi.

The MQM-P and the PTI, sources said, would field MQM-P’s former convenor Dr Farooq Sattar against the candidate of the ‘grand opposition alliance’. Sattar could not win his seat in the July 2018 polls. The MQM-P has convinced Ali Raza Abidi, who was runner-up on NA-243, to give a chance to senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar.

Sources said that the ruling coalition leader at the centre, the PTI, has so far given surety not to field its own party member on the vacated seat from Karachi.

Interestingly, Ali Raza Abidi has filed application for recounting in NA-243. He, even after consensus between the MQM-P and the PTI, has not withdrawn his application.

Political pundits viewed that the PTI might not change its decision to field its own candidate against the opposition from the same constituency. “PTI will hold important meeting with MQM-P next month on this matter,” they said.

The ‘grand opposition alliance’ during multi-party conference had decided to field consensus candidates (in bye-elections) against PTI on all vacated seats.