Time to vote: Security tightened ahead of re-polling in Tharparkar today

Six army and 12 Rangers personnel deployed at each polling station to help policemen.

HYDERABAD: The army and Rangers personnel have been deployed at sensitive polling stations in the two National Assembly and two provincial assembly constituencies in Tharparkar where elections are to take place today.

As many as 42,156 voters are registered to vote in the 47 polling stations, of which 43 are in NA-230, PS-62 and PS-63 and four in NA-229, according to the district returning officer, Faiz Rehmani.

The Election Commission of Pakistan ordered re-polling in the constituency after candidates made allegations of massive rigging and burning of ballot papers. A political worker was also shot dead.

In Thar, the constest is between Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) candidates and the influential Arbab family. Thar has two NA and four PS seats out of which the results of only PS-60 and PS-61 have been declared.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi is also a contender for NA-230. The Arbabs withdrew their candidate in favour of Qureshi, who has already won from NA-150 in Multan. He may vacate NA-230 and support a candidate from the Arbab group in the by-election. PPP candidates accuse the Arbabs of using the strong-arm tactics to rig the elections. In turn, the Arbabs blame PPP for manipulating the election with the help of government machinery.

According to DIG Mirpurkhas Muneer Ahmed Shaikh, six army and 12 Rangers personnel will be deployed at all polling stations to help the policemen maintain law and order.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2013.