HYDERABAD, Aug 30: The nomination papers of 54 candidates, including Makhdoom Ameen Faheem of the PPP, were accepted by the returning officers for the six national and 12 provincial assembly seats of Hyderabad district here on Friday.

The forms of Faheem and Makhdoom Jamil-uz-Zaman (PPP), Shahabuddin Shah Hussaini (PML-Q), Makhdoom Fazal Hussain (independent), Haider Ali Talpur (PTI), Mir Aleemuddin, Muhkamuddin, Maulvi Abdullah (MMA), Urs Gahoti (independent) and Peeral Majeedano (PPP-SB) were accepted by returning officer (RO) for NA-218.

The forms of Shahzad Hussain (PAT) and Shujauddin (Muttahida) were accepted by the returning officer for NA-220.

Returning Officer Muhammad Aslam Sheikh accepted forms of Qamar Shahbaz and Shabbir Hussain Bachkani (Muttahida) for NA- 221.

For NA-222, the RO cleared the papers of Haider Talpur (PTI) and Ali Nawaz Talpur.

The RO, Mohammad Aslam Sheikh, withheld scrutiny of the papers of an independent candidate from PS-50, Gul Mohammad Nizamani, as during the course of scrutiny of his papers, the RO found Rs100,000 dues of utility bills against him. He has adjourned the scrutiny for Aug 31. The RO also withheld the scrutiny of Darya Khan for the same seat.

He accepted the forms of Dr Najeeb Memon (SDA) for PS-47 and Sheikh Mian Abdullah for PS-50.

The RO accepted forms of Muqaddas and Makhdoom Fazal for PS- 43 and forms of Shahabuddin Shah Hussaini and Makhdoom Fazal Hussain for PS-44.

The RO, Amjad Ali Bohyo, accepted nomination papers of Masood Jamal (PAT) for PS-45 and rejected form of Mohammad Azam for the same seat.

He accepted the papers of Syed Khalid Iqbal (SDA), Syed Noor Alam Shah (PML-F), Arshad Shah (Muttahida) and Asad Ali Hashmi (independent) for PS-46.

The RO, Qazi Allah Bux, cleared the forms of Aftab Ahmed Khanzada (PPP), Aslam Pervez, Mohammad Farooq Qureshi and Hafiz Mohammad Rashid (Muttahida), Mohammad Shafique Arain and Syed Maqbool Alam (PML-Q), Peer Ghulam Rasool Shah (NA), Malik Asif Khan (MIT), Afzal Gujjar (PML-N), Mohammad Akhtar Shah (PTI), Kausar Zahid (PAT), Munawwar Ali Shah (PML-F), Muhstaque Ahmed Khan (MMA), Shahida Baloch (independent) and Syed Nadeem (Mohajir Qaumi Movement).

For PS-51, the RO, Syed Qurban Ali Shah Lakiyari, accepted candidature of Mir Mohammad Khokhar (SDA) and for PS-51 he cleared the form of Devidas (independent), Mohammad Qasim Kaimkhani (Mohajir Qaumi Movement) and Dr Nawaz Ali Nizamani (MMA).

The RO, Abdul Rehman Bhatti, accepted candidatures of Mir Ali Nawaz Talpur and Mir Murtaza Khan Talpur for PS-53.

The forms of Abdul Qadir Soomro (PPP), Mir Ali Nawaz Talpur, Ashfaque Ahmed and Mir Murtaza Talpur were also accepted for PS- 54.

Our bureau reports: About three dozen activists of the SPSF- SB staged a demonstration and observed a token hunger strike here on Friday against rejection of nomination papers of their leader, Ghinwa Bhutto.

Talking to newsmen, Liaquat Ali Junejo and other protesters said that the nomination form of the chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party-SB was rejected under a planned conspiracy.

PPP: The Hyderabad city leadership of Pakistan People’s Party here on Thursday announced the names of the official candidates of the party for three national assembly and five provincial assembly seats of the three talukas of Hyderabad, Latifabad and Qasimabad.

Briefing the newsmen, the president of the party’s city chapter, Mr Pervez Ahmed Ansari said the party had nominated Choudhry Bashir Gujjar advocate for NA-219 Hyderabad-II, Irfan Qureshi for NA-220 Hyderabad-III, and Syed Ameer Ali Shah Jamote for NA-221 Hyderabad-IV.

He said that Mr Muhammad Usman Kennedy was the official candidate for PS-45.