By-election voting underway in NA-213

Low turnout was reported early morning on Thursday in the by-election to Umerkot’s National Assembly constituency NA-213.

Polling is underway in Umerkot for the by-election on the National Assembly seat left vacant after the death of PPP leader Nawab Yousaf Talpur. Voting will continue without break until 5 p.m., with 18 candidates in the race.

Saba Talpur, the widow of Nawab Yousaf Talpur and mother of MPA Taimur Talpur, is representing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). She faces strong competition from Lal Chand Malhi, a former MNA and candidate supported by the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). Malhi previously held a reserved seat in the 2018 elections and is seen as a tough opponent with GDA backing him.

Political experts see this by-election as a key contest, with the PPP trying to retain its stronghold and GDA hoping for a breakthrough. In the 2018 general elections, Nawab Yousaf Talpur had won this seat with 175162 votes. His closest rival from PML-N, Mir Amanullah Talpur, got 44061 votes, while Malhi secured third place with 37958 votes.

A total of 498 polling stations have been set up across the constituency. Out of these, 269 are labeled sensitive and 91 are considered very sensitive due to possible security risks. To maintain peace, extra staff and security have been deployed.

There are 699010 registered voters in the area, and voter turnout is expected to be high. To encourage participation, the Umerkot district administration has declared a local holiday today, allowing citizens to cast their votes without work-related concerns. The results of this election may reflect changing political trends in the region.