Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) candidate Dr Fehmida Mirza, who had emerged victorious from NA-230 (Badin-II) according to preliminary results of the 2018 polls, is trying to influence the recounting process — returning officer (RO) Arif Rajput complained to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday.

PPPP candidate Haji Rasool Bux Chandio, who lost by a slim margin of 860 votes, had moved the RO for a recount, which began on Saturday after the RO's approval.

Following a recount at just 13 polling stations, the margin of votes between Dr Mirza and Chandio started to decrease, the RO stated in his application to the commission.

When the recount resumed again the next day, the RO claims that Dr Mirza "started creating nuisance and tried to create hurdle[s] in the recounting process by raising unreasonable and baseless objections... apparently to avoid the conduct of further recounting proceedings".

The PPPP candidate, however, has shown his complete trust over the proceedings, the RO added.

He further stated that it has become impossible for him to continue the recounting process under the prevailing situation.

Mangha Ram, the RO for PS-73 (Badin-IV) where PPPP's Taj Mohammad Mallah had been declared winner against Dr Mirza by a few hundred votes, has also filed a similar application against Hassam Mirza — the son of Dr Zulfiqar and Fehmida Mirza — accusing him of attempting to influence the recount.

Sources now claim that the matter would be sent to an election tribunal for further action.

The local PPPP leadership, in a press conference held yesterday, had also blamed the Mirzas for the post-electoral "mess" in the district.

Dr Fehmida Mirza alleges tampering, manipulation in NA-230

In a statement issued on Monday, Dr Mirza said: "it has become amply evident that tampering with and manipulation has taken place and the sanctity of ballots has been breached," demanding an inquiry into the matter.

Dr Mirza stated that that entire packets containing her votes were found missing from the relevant bags during the recount. "It has been made a part of the record that massive variations had been discovered in almost all the bags and extra votes had been found in the bags," she alleged.