February 23, 2008	Saturday	Safar 15, 1429

MIRPURKHAS, Feb 22: Polling staff deployed at constituency PS-62 Tharparkar have admitted and claimed that henchmen of former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim looted ballot papers at gunpoint, made them hostage and on election night filled the ballot boxes with bogus votes.

On PS-62 seat, Arbab Haji Abdullah of PML-Q has been declared as the winner candidate.

Talking to reporters at Umerkot Press Club on Friday, Pertab, a presiding officer at Keetar polling station and another presiding officer of Haji Anwar polling station claimed that as they arrived at polling stations they were made hostage at gunpoint by armed men of the Arbabs, who snatched some 1300 ballot papers from them and stamped on ‘cycle’, the symbol of PML-Q candidates, on 1200 ballot papers, on evening of Feb 17.

Another presiding officer deployed at Sajan Jo Par polling station told the media that they were also made hostage as they arrived at polling station on February 17 evening when some 15 armed men got hold of them and they were deprived of 917 ballot papers and votes were cast in favour of PML-Q candidates on these ballot papers.

Sikandar Ali who was deployed at Chhaho polling station claimed that their staff were also made hostage and deprived of ballot papers which were stamped by armed men of the Arbabs. He said that even NIC number was not entered at folio while the ballot papers were duly signed and thumbed by same armed men.

Rehmatullah, Mir Hassan, Allah Dad and other polling staff alleged that polls were rigged with the connivance of police, taluka nazim and district nazim.

Meanwhile, reports said that people in some villages of taluka Chhachhro have found ballot boxes filled with votes there.On the other hand a big rally was taken out in Umerkot.

The protestors were carrying banners and placards and raising slogans against Arbab Ghulam Rahim. They were demanding rejection of results of constituencies NA-230, PS-62 and PS-63, and demanded re-polling in those constituencies.

Our Mithi correspondent adds: The People’s Party candidate for PS-63 Chhachhro, Dost Ali Rahimoon, has urged the Election Commission to take notice of what he claimed massive rigging in his constituency by the henchmen of PML-Q heavyweights, withheld the results and order re-election in the constituency.

On PS-63 seat, Abdul Razzak Rahimoon of PML-Q has been declared as the winner candidate.

Talking to Dawn from Islamabad on his cellphone, Mr Dost Ali Rahimoon alleged that more than 24 presiding and polling officers were held hostage, ballot boxes and ballot papers were snatched from them and stamped forcibly by the armed henchmen of the PML-Q candidates in favour of them.