PPP candidate elected unopposed from Nagarparkar

Related Articles Pakistan: After Emergency, Toward Elections Related News PML-Q candidate withdraws in favour of PML-N   •   PML-N non-committal on whether Nawaz will contest by-poll Ruling coalition sweeps by-polls PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif barred from by-election

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Sharjil Inam Memon was elected unopposed from PS-62 Nagarparker (Tharparkar) after the withdrawal of Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) candidate Arbab Naimatullah. The latter is the nephew of the former Sindh chief minister, Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

Memon confirmed this on Tuesday and told The News that the election commission was going to issue a notification about his uncontested election and that he would be taking oath as member of the Sindh Assembly on Thursday.

The PPP candidate also confirmed that the party negotiated with the PML-Q candidate and some elders and they agreed to withdraw from the contest, as there was no chance of their victory in the by-election.

This seat was vacated after the death of Arbab Ataullah, brother of Arbab Rahim, in a road accident. The PML-Q awarded the party ticket to the latter’s nephew. It may be noted here that Arbab Rahim is in exile. June 26 was the scheduled date for the by-poll but after this political settlement between PPP and the Arbab family, Memon was elected unopposed.

Memon said negotiations with the Arbabs were held after the directive of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah who nominated provincial minister Ali Mardan Shah and MNA Pir Aftab Shah Jillani to the PPP negotiation team.

The negotiations were held at the Karachi residence of Arbab Zakaullah and Ghulam Hyder Samejo, MPA Abdul Razzaq, district Nazim Arbab Anwar and Qamaruddin Rahoomo represented the Arbab group at the talks.

Memon said it was direct contact between the PPP and the Arbab family and the only demand of the former Chief Minister’s nephew and Q League candidate Arbab Naimatuualh to withdraw from the contest was provision of protection against political victimisation to his family.

According to an insider, the Arbab family conveyed to the PPP leaders that they wanted to make the same gestures as showed by the PPP candidate Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani in 2002 election who had withdrawn nomination papers in favour of Arbab Zakaullah for NA-229 and helped him win unopposed.

The PPP alleged in 2002 that Arbab Rahim had forced and threatened its candidate Dr Mahesh Malani for withdrawal against his brother. However, the PPP leaders in turn have assured the Arbabs now that no action would be taken in future to victimise the supporters of the Arbab group in Thar.

End.