PTI fields Hindu candidate against Talpur

LAHORE: For the first time in its 26-year electoral history, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has fielded a Hindu candidate for a general seat of NA-213, Umerkot.

It is pertinent to mention that in the neighbouring district of Tharparkar, a Hindu candidate named Dr Mahesh Kumar Mallani of the PPP made history in the 2018 general elections when he won a National Assembly seat, securing more than 100,000 votes and defeating the brother of former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim. Laal Chand Malhi, who served as MNA on a reserved seat for minorities in the last term has now been fielded against many times MNA and PPP stalwart Nawab Yusuf Talpur.

Talpur defeated Shah Mehmood Qureshi in 2013. Laal Chand is the first member of the Hindu community, who has been fielded by the PTI.

Talking to The News, Laal Chand Malhi expressed gratitude to his leadership and said he would continue to struggle against the mafia that plundered the national wealth.

Umerkot is also the birthplace of Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Akbar and is considered one of the areas dominated by the Hindu community.

Tharparkar and Umerkot have a Hindu population in bulk and this is likely to be a memorable contest, says a local resident. The PPP has picked Hindu senators from the Tharparkar region Krishna Kumari and Gayan Chand besides pitching Dr Mahesh Kumar for a National Assembly seat which he won.