KHAIRPUR, Jan 15: PPP leader Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said 913 activists of the party have been rounded up since last night in the Nara taluka and announced to boycott the by-election on NA-216.

His announcement of boycott of the by-election came after one hour of the polling process.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, he said policemen, along with PML-F activists, forcibly entered the houses of PPP activists and subjected them to torture.

He said since the PML-F candidate, Syed Javed Ali Shah, contested the October election on PPP ticket, he knew about the main activists, who had been arrested and tortured.

He said MNA Syed Fazal Ali Shah, the brother of the PPP candidate for NA-216, Syed Ahmad Raza Shah, along with polling agents, was on his way to Nara when he was intercepted by a heavy contingent of the police and rangers in Chondico and told him he could not go to Nara.

The PPP leader alleged Sindh irrigation minister Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi had used the government machinery for the election campaign of the PML-F candidate.

He said the by-election was being rigged.

Shah said even District Nazim Nafeesa Shah did not know which officers were being transferred from the district.

He said he had contacted the Sindh chief minister, chief secretary, IGP and AIGP and informed them about the crackdown on PPP activists.

He said the police and rangers did not allow their polling agents to enter the Nara taluka.

He said many activists of the party were missing.

The PPP MNAs, Syed Khursheed Shah, Manzoor Wassan, Pir Fazal Ali Shah, MPAs, Nawab Wassan and Naeem Kkharal, and the father of PPP candidate for NA-216, Syed Abdul Qadir Shah, were also present.