October 3, 2002	Thursday	Rajab 25, 1423

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MIRPURKHAS, Oct 2: Pre-poll activities have intensified in Mirpurkhas district with the expectation of a tough contest between the People’s Party Parliamentarians and the Pakistan Muslim League (F) candidates.

There are three national and seven provincial assembly seats.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has also strengthened its position after reaching an accord with various estranged leaders of the Mirpurkhas Urdu-speaking community.

Following is the position in the seven provincial assembly seats:

There are 14 candidates contesting from PS-64 (Mirpurkhas-I), including Mohammad Siddique (PPP), Shabbir Ahmed Qaimi (MQM), Mohammad Ashfaq Khan (MMA), Azhar Abbas (PML-F), Amjad Ghori (MQM-H) and Altamash Sabir (Sunni Tehrik).

However, the actual fight is between candidates of the Muttahida and the PPP.

Eighteen candidates are contesting from PS-65, (Mirpurkhas- II), including Syed Irfan Ali Shah (PPP), Tariq Yousuf (MQM), Amarchand (PML-N), Sarfaraz Junejo (PML-F), Ghulam Qadir Noohani (MMA), Syed Mubeen, advocate (Ind), Asghar Narejo (Ind) and Zahida Detho (Ind).

The main contenders from this constituency are the candidates of the PPP, the Muttahida and the PML-F.

Some 12 candidates, including Zulfiqar Ali Talpur (PPP), Ramesh Kumar Malhi (MQM), Dr Shamshad Ali Khan (MMA), Abdul Razzak (ST), Zulfiqar Arain (PML-N), and Dr Naeem khan (PML-F) are in the race from PS-66 (Mirpurkhas-IV).

There are 17 candidates from PS-67 (Mirpurkhas-V), including Mir Mehboob Talpur (PPP), Kishor Kumar Malhi (MQM), Mohammad Tariq (PML-N), Jameel Ahmed (PML-Q), and Zahida Detho (Independent).

A tough fight is expected between the PPP and the Muttahida candidates.

Eight candidates are contesting from PS-68, (Mirpurkhas-V), including Mir Anwar Talpur (PPP), Poonjomal Bheel, advocate (Muttahida), Mohammad Amir (PML-N) and Mir Amanullah of the National Alliance.

There are 16 contestants from PS-69, including the former chief minister of Sindh, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah (PML-F), Ali Murad Rajar (PPP), Arbab Abdul Malik (NA), and Ghulam Mustafa Wahid (Muttahida).

Ten candidates are in the run for the PS 70 seat, including Syed Ali Mardan Shah (PPP), Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah (PML-F), Sakhawat Ali (MQM) and Naumanullah (PML-N).

MQM: Aftab Ahmed Shaikh and another MQM candidate from PS-64 (Mirpurkhas VII), Shabbir Ahmed Qaimi, have said that the message of Altaf Hussain has been spread all over the country and now poor and middle class people are joining the party.