KHAIRPUR, March 29: The district Nazim Nafisa Shah was warned against coming out on the by-elections day, this was said by People's Party Parliamentarians MPA and former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah here on Monday.

At a joint press conference held at the Jilani House along with Syed Shafqat Shah and Ahmed Ali Jumani - Awan Dost Panel candidates for the seat of Nazim - the PPP MPA said the district Nazim told him that she was warned of dire consequences if she came out on that day. "Even I was told on the telephone to advise Ms Shah not to come out," the MPA said.

He said polling stations were held hostage by the local Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) leaders and workers with the assistance of the police and the polling staff and commented that the polling stations bore the look of police stations.

The MPA alleged that the chief polling agent of ADP candidate Mr Shah, Liaquat Ali Phulpoto advocate were severely beaten by armed men at the government staff quarters polling station.

He said at all polling stations, particularly those for women, polling agents of ADP candidates were harassed while the police and the PML-F workers stamped ballot papers. The MPA further alleged that votes cast at Mohabbat Wah polling stations were bogus.