"The PPP has a vote bank in the area, and since three family members are contesting against each other, it will benefit the PPP nominee," Journalist Abdul Haq Pirzada. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The seat fell vacant after the disqualification and subsequent death of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Altaf Unnar. Though the PPP has not allotted the party ticket to any family member of the late leader, Altaf’s son, Adil Unnar, has decided to stand against the ruling party’s nominee, Sohail Anwar Sial.
Two of Altaf’s nephews, Shafqat Unnar and Allah Bux Unnar, have entered the fray. They are both independent candidates and this means that on PS-35, three cousins will stand against each other. Apart from this, Sial is a PPP nominee, Ghulam Sarwar is contesting on behalf of Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Sarfaraz Bughio has been nominated by Pakistan Muslim League-Functional.
Despite Altaf’s family’s influence in the constituency, which falls in Dokri taluka of Larkana district, independent observers believe that the PPP candidate may win the show. “The PPP has a vote bank in the area, and since three family members are contesting against each other, it will benefit the PPP nominee,” said Abdul Haq Pirzada, a journalist, who has been covering the polls in the constituency for the last 25 years.
There are 118,902 registered votes in the constituency, where 118 polling stations have been set up. Talking to The Express Tribune, provincial election commissioner SM Tariq Qadri said Army or Rangers personnel could be called in, should the need arise.
Altaf had won the seat in the general elections in May 2013 by securing 23,624 votes. On February 26, he was disqualified, however, by a Sukkur election tribunal. Altaf passed away on March 7.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th, 2014.
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