PPP Celebrates Victory in Umerkot By-Election

HYDERABAD/KARACHI: Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has expressed his appreciation to the residents of Umerkot for their support in the NA-213 (Umerkot-I) by-election held on Thursday, which resulted in the election of PPP’s Saba Talpur.

Based on preliminary results from 448 of the 498 polling stations, Saba Talpur garnered 148,965 votes, surpassing her competitor, Lal Malhi, who received 74,515 votes. The final vote count was still underway at the District Returning Officer’s office late into the night.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari acknowledged the win of the female candidate as an important event in Umerkot’s political landscape. Celebrating the outcome, he stated, “Thank you, Umerkot! You have once again shown that ‘Mir jo, no Peer jo – Vote Benazir jo.’”

He commented that Saba Talpur’s success represents more than just an individual achievement; it signifies a triumph for the constituents of NA-213, demonstrating public confidence in the PPP and affirming the strength of democracy. He further noted that the people of NA-213 have conveyed a clear message, demonstrating their political engagement and rejection of opportunism.

Bilawal congratulated Saba Talpur and conveyed his hopes that she would fulfill the expectations of her constituents and build upon the legacy of public service established by former MNA Nawab Yousuf Talpur.

He also commended the PPP activists in NA-213 for their persistent efforts over the preceding weeks, which were crucial to the success of the party’s candidate.

Bilawal encouraged the public to gather in Hyderabad to celebrate the victory. He remarked, “Today, Umerkot has demonstrated where the people’s allegiance lies — and tomorrow, Hyderabad will demonstrate that the people firmly support the PPP.”

The NA-213 Umerkot constituency has a total of 608,957 registered voters, comprising 321,686 men and 287,311 women. For the election, 498 polling stations were established, including 302 combined stations, 98 exclusively for men, and 98 exclusively for women. Among these, 91 were designated as highly sensitive, 269 as sensitive, and 169 as normal.

The by-election proceeded smoothly from 8am to 5pm. According to the Sindh Chief Election Commissioner, voting commenced on schedule at all 498 polling stations and continued peacefully throughout the day.

The NA-213 Umerkot seat became available due to the passing of Nawab Yousuf Talpur. Official documentation indicated that ballot papers were printed for 18 candidates.

The primary contenders on Thursday were Saba Talpur, the widow of Nawab Yousuf Talpur, and Lal Chand Malhi, an independent candidate supported by the PTI, GDA, and the Sindh Darya Bachao Committee Movement. Umar Jan Sarhindi of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan also participated in the election.

During the voting process, Lal Chand Malhi addressed the media, alleging irregularities at the Ibrahim Rind polling station.

In response, the Sindh Election Commission spokesperson issued a statement clarifying that the presiding officer had instructed the removal of PPP Union Council Chairman Amir Hasan Khaskheli from the polling location. Law enforcement promptly removed the chairman from the premises.

Separately, at the polling station in Qazi Sultan Higher Secondary School in Kunri, representatives and supporters of independent candidate Lal Chand Malhi raised concerns about potential electoral fraud, claiming that PPP voters were receiving multiple ballot papers.

In Umerkot, a member of MPA Nawab Taimur Talpur’s staff reportedly assaulted a journalist from a private TV channel for recording a video of a dispute outside a polling station and confiscated his phone. Footage of the incident circulated widely.

In the Basti area of Kunri Tehsil, Umerkot, voting was temporarily suspended due to a conflict among party representatives. Following the conclusion of voting at 5pm, the vote counting process commenced under the supervision of the presiding officers.

Following the release of initial results, Lal Chand Malhi organized a demonstration outside the District Returning Officer’s office to voice his objections.

He told the media that the government apparatus had been unfairly used against him and that the Election Commission appeared unable to act against the Sindh government.

He stated that the Sindh Election Commission had requested the deployment of Rangers for the by-election, but this recommendation was ignored. “I am protesting to highlight the PPP’s methods of rigging elections in Sindh,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PPP submitted a formal complaint to the ECP regarding alleged attacks on its members by PTI and GDA activists in Umerkot.

Officials reported that Syed Waqar Mehdi, the general secretary of the PPP-Parliamentarians in Sindh, communicated the complaint to the ECP, detailing attacks on supporters during the by-election at Polling Station No. 49, Government High School, Pithoro.

The PPP election cell communicated to the ECP that its supporters were attacked by individuals affiliated with the GDA and PTI candidate Lal Chand Malhi.

The letter indicated that several party members were injured and subsequently transported to Civil Hospital. It was further alleged that the attacks aimed to disrupt the vote counting process.

The letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner in Islamabad stated: “It is respectfully submitted that a violent assault was carried out on workers and supporters of the Pakistan Peoples Party by members of the GDA/PTI outside Polling Station 261 (G.B.P.S Jamal Makhrani Municipal Umarkot), resulting in injuries to several PPP workers and supporters with the intention of disrupting the election process, potentially leading to a serious law and order situation and constituting a severe violation of the Election Act 2017. We request that you take decisive action in accordance with the law to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and impartial elections.”

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also extended his congratulations to Saba Talpur on her substantial lead in the elections. “I commend all the workers, PPP leadership, and the people of Umerkot.”

The CM commented that the people of Umerkot have reaffirmed their strong confidence in the PPP, emphasizing that this triumph reflects public service, transparent governance, and trust in the party’s leadership.

He added that the victory stems from the public’s trust, faith in democracy, and the relentless efforts of party workers. He reiterated the PPP’s commitment to public service and the need for collective effort towards the advancement of the province and the nation.

CM Shah noted that the successful election process represents a victory for the people. He affirmed that under the guidance of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the PPP is dedicated to promoting the welfare of the people throughout Sindh, and this success underscores the public’s faith in the party.

The spokesperson for the PPP-Parliamentarians, Shazia Marri, conveyed her congratulations to the PPP leadership and voters in NA-213 Umerkot on their candidate’s triumph in the by-election.

She acknowledged that the voters had shown their trust in the PPP by voting for Saba Talpur.

She noted that the opposition’s joint candidate was defeated by the people of Sindh and that the people of Sindh have once again rejected the GDA and PTI.

Marri stated that the residents of Sindh view the PPP as their authentic representative, while other political entities are considered political outsiders. She highlighted the unique connection between the people of Sindh, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and the Bhutto family.

Marri emphasized the PPP’s historical commitment to serving the people of Sindh and its unwavering dedication to protecting their rights.

She affirmed that the party has consistently fought to protect the rights of the people, whether concerning water resources or development initiatives and that the PPP leadership and public officials have stood by the people during every natural disaster, including severe rains and floods.