BADIN: After convincing the Mehers of Ghotki and Shirazis of Thatta to join the party, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is now reportedly in contact with the Arbabs, the political heavyweights of Tharparkar.

The Arbab family, which is now led by Sindh's former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam, has never lost an election in Thar since 1936.

Credible sources close to the former chief minister, who is currently in self–exile in the UAE , told Dawn.com that Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah have been  designated to hold talks with Arabab Ghulam Rahim, who is also the president of Pakistan Muslim League (Like-minded). The sources requested anonymity.

Speaking to local media representatives, the Vice President of PML (Like-minded) Arbab Lutfullah, who is also a nephew of Arbab Ghulam Rahim, confirmed the ongoing parleys between the PPP and the PML (Likeminded), adding  that talks were underway for seat adjustment with the PPP in areas where the Arbab group had a strong vote bank. The areas include Tharparkar, Badin, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts.

During the last general elections in 2008, the Arbab family had won all four provincial and two NA seats in Tharparkar district by a significant margin.

Later, when a younger brother of Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Arbab Haji Abdullah, who was elected as  an MPA from Nagarparkar, died in a road accident in Badin, the then losing candidate of PPP  Sharjeel Inam Memon was elected unopposed from the same constituency after allegedly making a deal with the Arbabs.