MIRPURKHAS, Oct 23: Nawab Mohammad Yousuf Talpur, People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) elected on NA-228, Mirpurkhas, has demanded re-election in Tharparkar to allow the drought-hit people to exercise their right of franchise without any intimidation.

Talking to a delegation of PPP workers from Tharparkar, he said that the way elections had been conducted in Tharparkar proved that “massive rigging had been carried out by the Arbab group” in collusion with police and administration officials.

He said that he had been shocked to learn that the district Nazim, Arbab Attaullah, apprehended his own kidnapping at the hands of the DPO, Tharparkar, and had written to the Sindh governor but no action was taken to protect him despite the fact that he belonged to the Arbab group.

Mr Talpur sympathized with the district Nazim and demanded the transfer of the DPO in order to save the devolution system from being destroyed in Thar.

He condemned registration of cases against a PPP candidate, Gyan Chand, and 600 workers.

He asked the Election Commission to take action against those who rigged the elections.

He said that a returning officer had been changed just five days ahead of the election while “massive rigging” had taken place in Tharparkar where over 200 PPP polling agents were kidnapped at gunpoint.

NBP POLLS HELD: The elections of the National Bank of Pakistan, Employees Front Sindh, Mirpurkhas and Tharparkar districts, were held on Wednesday.