08 October 2004	Friday	22 Shaban 1425

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MITHI, Oct 7: Polling was held in a peaceful manner on Thursday in the by-election for the NA-229 (Tharparkar) amidst a boycott by the main opposition candidate, Dr Mahesh Malani.

Reports from various polling stations in Khetlari, the native village of the Sindh chief minister in Diplo taluka, indicated that 865 votes were polled out of 1,618 registered votes at the Dhodharo poling station.

At another polling station, 589 votes were polled out of 700 by 5pm. Chief Minister Dr Ghulam Rahim cast his vote at his village. According to unofficial results collected by Dawn from 100 polling stations out of 220 on Thursday night, Arbab Zakaullah of the Pakistan Muslim League was leading against with 73,950 votes.

Dr Malani of the People's Party Parliamentarians and an independent candidate, Rahim Lund, who had boycotted elections, received 228 and 50 votes, respectively. About 479 votes were rejected at the 100 polling stations.

The results of 120 polling stations located in the far-flung areas are likely to reach district headquarter in Mithi sometime after midnight. The central leadership of the PPP had sent an application to the Chief Election Commissioner, raising a number of complaints. The application was dismissed by the election commission with a detailed order by the CEC.