KARACHI, Aug 24: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has dropped most of the stalwarts and put up new faces for October elections.

More than 200 candidates filed nominations on behalf of the MQM from across the country, who included about five non-Urdu speaking from Karachi, the party sources said.

Those who have not filed nominations include deputy convener of the coordination committee, Dr Farooq Sattar, Khalid Bin Walid, Wasim Akhtar, Babar Ghauri, Haroon Siddiqui and Abdul Qadir Lakhani.

Former senators Aftab Shaikh and Nasreen Jaleel filed nominations for NA seats. Shaikh Liaquat Hussain and Kunwar Khalid Yunus, Sardar Ahmed and Abdus Sattar Ansari also filed nomination papers. Kunwar Khalid is also on two NA and two PA seats. Former provincial minister Shoaib Bokhari has also filed nomination papers for a provincial assembly seat.

According to party sources, 150 candidates filed nominations from Karachi. This include 32 ladies, 13 of them filed nomination papers for reserved seats for women.

The MQM has also fielded candidates in one NA and three provincial assembly constituencies from Balochistan, and two on NA and two provincial assembly seats from the NWFP.

From Punjab the party had planned to file papers for 18-25 NA and eight provincial assembly seats.