Former Sindh CM Arbab Ghulam Rahim joins PTI

ISLAMABAD: Former chief minister of Sindh, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Thursday joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan, ARY News reported.

Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader and former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here in Islamabad and announced joining PTI.

Speaking on the occasion, Imran Khan said that Arbab Ghulam’s inclusion will help the party in Sindh. It was principally decided in the meeting to work actively to strengthen PTI in Sindh province.

Dr Rahim also urged the prime minister to visit the Sindh areas and focus attention on Sindh province.

A look at Arbab Rahim’s political career

Born in the Diplo Tehsil of Tharparkar District, Arbab Ghulam Rahim first contested the local government election and was elected as Nazim of Mirpurkhas district in 1983.

He was elected in 2002 to the provincial assembly on the ticket of the PML-Q from PS-60 constituency in Tharparkar and was initially inducted as a provincial minister. Subsequently, he was elected as the Chief Minister of Sindh in 2004.

Rahim, who was Sindh CM from 2004 to 2007, had been elected to national and provincial assemblies from his constituency in Tharparkar District several times.

In 2013, Rahim merged his party Pakistan Peoples Muslim League (PPML) with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Arbab Rahim joined GDA before the 2018 elections and ran for PS-52 (Umerkot-II) seat but lost against PPP candidate Syed Ali Mardan Shah.

The former chief minister again contested by-elections for PS-52 Umerkot-II in 2021 but once again suffered defeat against Pakistan Peoples Party’s candidate Syed Ameer Ali Shah, who secured 55,904 votes. Arbab Rahim managed to get only 30,921 votes.

The seat had fallen vacant after the death of Syed Ali Mardan Shah of PPP, who was father of Syed Ameer Ali Shah.

The veteran politician, then and now, enjoyed support of GDA, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and local groups of Ghosia Jamaat, Hur Jamaat, Jeelani Jamaat, Sarhandi Jamaat, Qaumi Awami Tehreek, Arbab’s own Peoples Muslim League, Zulfiqar Mirza group, Jamaat-i-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.