UMERKOT: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Saba Talpur emerged victorious in the NA-213 Umerkot by-election on Thursday, securing the seat left vacant after the passing of her husband, Nawab Yousuf Talpur.
According to unofficial results, she bagged 164,788 votes, defeating Lal Chand Malhi — backed by the opposition alliance, including PTI and GDA — who received 81,247 votes.
Despite the significant margin, the election has been marred by low voter turnout and serious allegations of rigging from opposition parties. Malhi rejected the results, claiming the PPP had manipulated the process through collusion with election officials. He announced a citywide strike on Friday in protest.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s candidate, Pir Umar Jan Sarhandi, echoed the sentiment, calling the by-poll a “selection, not an election,” and accusing the ruling party of using state machinery to secure the outcome.
In contrast, PPP leadership, including Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and MPA Taimur Talpur, thanked voters and dismissed the rigging allegations as baseless, claiming the opposition had attempted to disrupt the voting process instead.
Turnout was reportedly low, attributed to extreme heat and absentee voters working in other districts. Minor scuffles broke out at several polling stations, but voting proceeded without major disruptions.
Following the results, Malhi led a sit-in outside the District Returning Officer’s office, raising tensions in the city.
