Umerkot in Sindh will turn into a battlefield today in the first by-election for Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) after the formation of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
The seat of PS-52 of Sindh Assembly had become vacant after the death of PPP’s Syed Mardan Ali Shah.
He was unbeaten on the seat for the past three decades.
Now, his son has been given the ticket by PPP to contest against the former Chief Minister of Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim who has been nominated by the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) which is backed by ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim had lost in the general election of 2018 to his nephew Arbab Lutfullah who fought on PPP’s ticket.
Who stands a better chance?
Further, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and GDA Chief Pir Pagara hold a significant influence in the constituency as a huge number of their spiritual followers are located there.
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There is also a considerable population of non-Muslims in PS-52 where PPP will contest against GDA in the first poll after the formation of PDM.
Polling details
There are some 128 polling stations in PS-52 constituency of Umerkot.
Some 40 have been declared sensitive and 50 as highly-sensitive by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The total number of registered voters is 154,000 including 70,000 female voters.
The local administration has declared a public holiday in the constituency on election day.
The political observers believe the poll in Umerkot to be a test for PPP as it is the first by-election after the formation of PDM.