After delimitation in Karachi, the PPP is expected to win on NA 236, NA 237 and NA 238. These constituencies include areas of Gadap, Malir, Sharafi Goth, Ibrahim Haideri, Rari Goth, Juma Goth etc, where Sindhi and Baloch population is widely believed to favour the PPP candidates.
Qadir Patel on NA 248 has the advantage for his native ethnic group 'Katchi' and wide Pashtun population while Shehla Raza on NA 243 for 'Shia and Urdu speaking' votes. Both of them are being considered as PPP's stronger contestants to win their slots. These projections are from an anecdotal survey based on interviews with political analysts as well as with some locals undertaken by Business Recorder.
In 2013 elections, the PPP won 34 seats (56 percent), MQM 19 (31 percent) and PML-F 4 (6.5 percent) with PTI and NPP one each. PML-N grabbed two seats, however, the two later joined the PPP.
There are a total of 61 National Assembly seats in Sindh province (there has been no change in the number after the delimitation) with 13 major parties fielding their candidates in both rural and urban areas of the province. According to the ECP, a total of 25 candidates are contesting as independents in Sindh province with an election symbol of 'jeep.'
A breakdown of the National Assembly constituencies in Sindh province shows that there are 26 seats in urban areas (21 in Karachi and 5 in Hyderabad) and 36 seats in rural areas of the province.
Karachi is the only city from where heads of five main political parties are contesting the polls. Leading political candidates of different parties have been contesting from 9 of Karachi's total 21 National Assembly slots.
PPP Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is contesting against Saleem Zia of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Abdul Shakoor Shad of PTI, Maulana Noor-ul-Haq of MMA on NA-246 Lyari. Lyari is considered to be a political bastion of the PPP and Bilawal is likely to win this seat but may face a stiff competition from PTI and MMA.
PTI chairman, Imran Khan is fighting for NA-243 in Karachi against MQM-P's Ali Raza Abidi, PSP's Muzamil Qureshi and PPP's Shehla Raza. A tough competition is expected on this seat as in 2013 elections, MQM-P's Abidi had won from this seat. However, Imran Khan may upset the traditional vote bank of the MQM-P but Abidi still seen as a potential candidate.
In NA-247, MQM-P's senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar, PPP's Aziz Memon, MMA's Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, Pak Sarzameen Party's (PSP) Fauzia Kasuri and PTI's Arif Alvi are facing one other. The division in the vote bank of MQM-P and PSP may help Alvi to win the seat but PPP and MMA still pose a danger to his victory.
PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif is contesting from NA-249 Karachi against PTI's candidate Faisal Vawda, Aslam Shah of MQM-P, Fauzia Hameed of the PSP and MMA's Atta Ullah Shah. In this constituency, the actual fight is expected between the PTI and PML-N for a huge population of 'Hazarawal'.
PSP Chairman, Syed Mustafa Kamal is facing MQM-P's Osama Qadri and Munim Zafar Khan of MMA in NA-253. Kamal and Qadri are likely to give a stiff completion to each other. It is still to say who is stronger to grab the slot.
In NA-240 Karachi, Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chairman Afaq Ahmed and MQM-P leader Iqbal Mohammad Ali are contesting the election. Both of them are potential contestants in the widely Urdu speaking populated constituency.
Former Finance Minister Dr Miftah Ismail is contesting on the PML-N ticket against PTI candidate Ali Zaidi and Zahid Saeed of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) from NA-244. The MMA candidate is likely to win the seat due to a large community vote bank in the area.
In NA-250, Awami National Party's (ANP) Sindh President Shahi Syed and MMA's Naeem-ur-Rehman are contesting as well as PSP's candidate Syed Hafeezudeen. A neck and neck fight is expected in this constituency and it's too close to call at this point.
MQM-P's convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is contesting against PTI's Mehmood Baqi Moulvi and PSP's Jameel Rathore in NA-255. Historically, the MQM-P's candidate has been winning from this seat due to a majority of the Muhajir community votes and the MQM is likely to retain this seat.
On NA-225 Hyderabad, three major candidates are contesting including Khawand Buksh Ghulam of PTI, Syed Husain Tariq of PPP, and Naheed Khan Barakzai of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). The PSP candidate Syed Muzafar Ali Shahi is also contesting this seat but he is a little known candidate in the constituency. A tough contest is expected between Barakzai of GDA and Husain Tariq of PPP, and again it's too close to call.
On NA-226, due to split in vote bank of religious parties, MQM-P candidate Sabir Hussain is expected to win the seat. Other candidates in the constituency include Ali Muhammad of PPP, Rashid Ali of PSP, Faisla Nadeem Shaikh of Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek and Muhammad Tahir of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
PPP candidate Syed Naveed Qamar is expected to win from NA-228 easily as candidates of all other parties including the PTI, GDA and MMA are said to be weak in this constituency.
The GDA has allotted the ticket for NA-229, Badin-I to Hassam Mirza and NA-230 Badin-II to Dr Fehmida Mirza and they both have a clear edge over the PPP candidates Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur and Haji Rasool Bux Chandio respectively.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto is also contesting from NA-200 Larkana and is expected to win this seat as the PPP has remained invincible here since 1970.
PPP's Syed Noor Mohammad Shah Jillani and PTI vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi are main contenders on NA-221 Tharparkar-I. In 2013, PPP's Noor Mohammad Shah Jillani won this seat, but this time Qureshi is likely to win this seat due to large following of his devotees in the constituency.
GDA's Arbab Zakaullah and PPP's Mahesh Kumar Mallani are main contestants among the candidates on NA-222 Tharparkar-II. In 2013, this seat was won by PPP's Sher Mohammad Bilalani. A minority vote may be decisive on this closely contested seat.