GDA leader Arbab Rahim alleges Umerkot by-polls were rigged

• GDA's Arbab Ghulam Rahim says Umerkot by-polls were rigged and people were bribed on the election night
  
• He lamented that his party holds no hope from the appeal in the election tribunal
• The by-polls in the constituency were held on January 18

Former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim alleged on Wednesday that the Umerkot by-polls were rigged and people were bribed on the election night.

Addressing a press conference at Malkani House in Umerkot, Rahim lamented that his party holds no hope from the appeal in the election tribunal. "People are disappointed with the election process," he added.

The by-polls on the PS-52 seat, which fell vacant after the demise of PPP MPA Syed Ali Mardan Shah, were held on January 18. 

PPP’s Ameer Ali Shah emerged victorious in the by-polls for Umerkot’s PS-52 seat, according to the unofficial and unverified results.

Unofficial results of 128 polling stations showed that Shah secured over 58,968 votes against GDA’s Arbab Ghulam Rahim, who bagged nearly 30,832 votes.

Read more: PS-52: PPP candidate Ameer Ali Shah wins Umerkot by-polls

The polling process started under the supervision of the police and Rangers, however, some incidents of minor clashes were reported and polling was suspended for some time, but again resumed.

Over 50 polling stations were among the most sensitive, which were monitored by Rangers.

The commission said a total of 153,935 voters, 83,127 males, and 70,808 females, were registered to cast votes across 128 polling stations. 

Both candidates and their chief polling agents had visited different polling stations and accused each other of rigging in polling, The News earlier reported.