Form 47 declares PPP candidate winner in NA-213 by-polls

The Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) candidate Saba Talpur has been declared successful under Form 47 for NA-213 Umerkot by-polls. According to the results, Saba Talpur bagged 161,934 votes against 81,160 votes of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidate Lal Malhi. A 42.99% voter turn out was recorded in the bye-election despite scorching heat in that district.

The constituency had fallen vacant on February 19 after the death of six-time PPP MNA Nawab Yousuf Talpur, husband of the winning candidate. The PTI's Malhi, who was also supported by the Grand Democratic Alliance, JUI-F, nationalist and other political parties, had called a strike for Friday, calling the election a sham process.

Malhi alleged that his polling agents were kidnapped and subjected to torture. He said, they are collecting evidence and the results will be challenged at all forums.

Umerkot remained partially closed in response to Malhi's call. As many as 608,997 people were registered to cast vote. Among them 261,784 voters exercised their right while 10,071 votes were cancelled for various reasons.

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's Muhammad Umar Jan Sarhindi, who is an accused in the custodial killing case of the blasphemy accused Dr Ibrahim Kumbhar, secured 3,653 votes and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's Lal Chand got 1,701 votes. The votes were cast in favour of a total 18 candidates, among whom 15 contested as independent candidates.