DISTRICT South is home to the city`s well-off as well as downtrodden segments of society.

The stark difference between the rich and poor localities in the district is the perfeet example of how the state showers resources upon affluent localities, like Defence and Clifton, and neglects those living in low-income neighbourhoods and slums, lil(e the old city areas and Lyari.

Two of the three National Assembly constituencies in the district one comprising salubrious Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and the other consisting Lyariareconsidered as strongholds of the Pakistan Tehreel(-i-Insaf and the Pal(istan Peoples Party, respectively.

While the PTI had won the two NA seats in the 2018 general elections, this time round lady luck may smile on the PPP vying for the seats of DHA, Clifton and Lyari since the party of Imran Khan, despite its popularity, is in hot waters.

As many as 1,249,594 voters 677,329 males and 572,266 females in the district South, the sixth in terms of population and fourth in terms of votes in the city, will elect three candidates to the National Assembly seats and five to the Sindh Assembly seats in the Feb 8 general elections.

The district that earlier had two National Assembly seats now comprising DHA and Clifton and Lyari has got an additional National Assembly seat NA-240 due to high growth rate of population in downtown area, while the growth rate in DHA and Clifton remains low.

The NA-240 comprises the areas which were in the former two constituencies of NA-246 and NA-247. Now the areas in the provincial assembly constituency PS-107, such as New Kumharwara, Juman ShahKala Goth, Mirza Adam Khan Road, Singu Lane, Nauwa Lane, Football Grounds, Nishtar Road, Ramswami, Ranchore Line, Paan Mandi and areas in PS-109 including Madina Mansion, Kharadar, Boltan Marl(et, Iqbal Plaza, Kothari Garden and Denso Hall, have been included in NA-240 constituency.The district consisted two national and five provincial constituencies in the 2018 delimitations.

According to the first digital and seventh census of 2023, the population has increased in the two national assembly constituencies of 2023, and there are now three constituencies of the National Assembly and five constituencies of the Sindh Assembly.

Besides the posh and old parts of the city, the district also comprises Delhi Colony,Punjab Colony and high security areas such as Governor House, Chief Minister House and Jinnah Hospital.

The district is also a hub of commercial activities as Saddar, Empress Market, Bohri Bazar, Electronics Marl(et, Mobile Market, Gems Market and several other shopping centres are located here.

The district consists of two towns, 26 union committees, 104 UC wards and two cantonment boards where multi-ethnic rich, middle and poor people live.

According to the official results of the 2023 census, the population of district South is 2,329,764 people. The number of houses is 426,224 and the overall rate of increase in population under the 2023 census was 4.71 per cent.

In general elections of 2018, there were two seats of National Assembly NA 246 and NA 247 and five seats of Sindh Assembly PS-107, PS-108, PS-109, PS-110 and PS-111.

Now, there are three National Assembly seats NA-239, NA-240 and NA-241 and five provincial assembly seats PS-106, PS-107, PS108, PS-109 and PS-110.

The major parties gearing up for elec-toral battle are the Pal(istan Peoples` Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pal(istan (MQM), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Pal(istan Tehreel(-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Tehreel(-iLabbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F).

NA-239 This constituency comprises Agra Taj Colony, Daryabad, Hingorabad, Khadda Memon Society, Nayabad, Baghdadi, Shah Baig Lane, Bihar Colony, Gulistan Colony, Gul Muhammad Lane Rangiwara, Kalal(otRexerlane and other areas.

The overall population of the area stands at 783,497 with registered voters of 422,081 including 233,087 males and 188,994 females.

There are 19 aspirants vying for Feb 8 general elections from this constituency including Sardar Nabil Ahmed Gabol of PPP, JI`s Fazal Ur Rehman Niazi, PTIbacl(ed Yasir Baloch, Muhammad Sharjil Goplani of TLP, Maulana Noor-Ul-Haq of JUI-Pakistan and former PTI MNA Abdul Shakoor Shad.

NA-240 The constituency covers Singo Lane, Nawa Lane, Old Town Kharadar, BhimpuraGhanchi Para, Hassan Lashkari Village, Garden, Millat Nagar, Ranchor Line, Ghazdarabad, Nanal(wara and other areas. It has mainly been carved out from the old NA-247 and some parts of NA-246.

This constituency has total population of 782,762 and 385,971 registered voters, including male 210,741 and 175,230 females.

MQM-P`s Arshad Vohra, Saleem Mandviwalla of PPP, Syed Abdul Rasheed of JI, independent (PTI`s) candidate Ramzan Ghanchi and TLP`s Zaman Ali Jafri are among the aspirants con-testing for the NA-240 seat.

NA-241 As many as 39 candidates are vying for this National Assembly seat, formerly NA-247, which was won by President Arif Alvi in 2018 polls before he was elected to the office of the President of Pakistan.

He bagged 91,020 votes and defeated TLP candidate Syed Zaman Ali Jafri, who had bagged 24,680 votes. MQM-P`s Farooq Sattar got 24,146 votes, followed by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal`s Muhammad Hussain Mehanti with 22,780 votes. PPP`s Abdul Aziz Memon and PML`s Afnan Ullah Khan had secured 22,780 and 19,552 votes respectively.

However, later in the bye-elections, PTI`s Aftab Siddiqui got 32,456 votes, followed by MQM-P`s Sadiq Iftikhar with 14,360 votes and PPP`s QaiserKhan Nizamani with 13,360 votes.

The constituency is set to witness one of the most interesting contests as the candidates of all major parties are among as many as 38 aspirants who include Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM-P, independent (PTI`s) candidate Khurram Sher Zaman, PPP`s Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Muhammad Wasim of TLP, Naveed Ali Baig of JI and PML-N`s Rozina.

This constituency comprises Aram Bagh, City Railway Colony, Burns Road, Ferer Town, Hijrat Colony, Boat Basin, Clif t on-Keh kash an, Upper Gizri, Shah Rasool Colony, Shereen Jinnah Colony, General Abad,Saddar, Mayfair Centre, Rainbow Centre, Press Club, Sea Breeze Plaza, Dawood Puta Road, Asl(ari 2 & 3, Jinnah Hospital, Kala Pul, Navy Heights, Bizerta Line, Hazara Colony Railway Quarters, Punjab Colony, Delhi Colony, Defence Garden, Chandio Village, P&T Colony, Phase I, Sabir SRE, Commercial Street, Neelam Colony, Phase II Extension, Phase II Commercial Area, Golf Course, Phase IV, Phase 5, 6, 7, 8, Zam Zama, Badar Commercial and Seaview.

The total population of these areas stands at 761,882 with 462,512 registered voters, including 243,868 men and 218,644 women.PS-106 to PS-110 As many as 23 aspirants, including Usman Ghani of PPP, Syed Abdur Rasheed of JI, PTI-backed Hanif and PML-N`s Amjad Ali Asif, are in the run on PS-106.

The areas in PS-107 include Shah Baig Lane, Haji Juma Goth, Lasi Road, Gulistan Colony, Muzammil Shah Road, Light House, KMC Worl(shop, Singu Lane, Nawa Lane and Football Ground.

The areas in PS-108 are Garden West, Dhobi Ghaat, Usmanabad, Pal(istan Quarters, Nishtar Road, Ramswami, Ranchore Line and Pan Mand.The areas in PS-109 included Madina Mansion Kharadar, Kohrhi Garden, Denso Hall, Sindh Madressatul Islam, New Chali, Aram Bagh, City Railway Colony.

The areas in PS-110 are PNT Colony, Punjab Colony, Dehli Colony, and parts of Clifton Cantonment Board are included in PS-110.

There are 315,655 registered voters in the constituency 165,119 men and 150536 women.

The candidates include Shariq Naseem of the MQM-P, PPP`s Syed Najmi Alam, JI`s Sufiyan Dilawar and TLP`s Masood Ahmed.