KARACHI, May 31: A total of 16 candidates have been left in the field to contest byelection for NA-255, after the withdrawal of Tariq Sultan Ahmad Khan of the PML-N on the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers.

With the passing of withdrawal date, the only option left to candidates to withdraw from the race is of retirement, and it is expected that a large number of candidates would pull out at the last hour.

Initially, 18 candidates had filed nomination papers. Out of them four each belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, two each to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the People’s Party Parliamentarians, and one each to PML-Q, PML-N, MPA and PML-Z, besides two independents.

However, papers of one of the independent candidates were rejected on technical grounds as the name of the candidate was not found in the voters list, while one candidate withdrew his papers on May 29, which was the last date for the purpose.

The seat had fallen vacant due to the death of Mohajir Qaumi Movement MPA Mehmood Ahmad Qureshi who was elected from the constituency in the October elections.

Main parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Mohajir Qaumi Movement and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal have not withdrawn their covering candidates, which diminishes the chances of a direct fight between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Dr Farooq Sattar and MMA’s Aslam Mujahid.

Although, the PML-N has announced withdrawing its candidate Aleem Adil Shaikh in favour of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s nominee, technically he is still in field as his withdrawal was not accepted by the election authorities.

Mr Shaikh, it is said, neither presented his withdrawal paper in person nor got it attested by a notary public or authenticated by a competent authority. He had simply sent a letter which was not accepted by the returning officer.

Only four candidates were found eligible after furnishing their party certificate as the nominee of the party and were issued symbols by the returning officer which were allotted to their party in the October elections.

The symbols are: “Kite” to Dr Farooq Sattar of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, “Candle” to Syed Abid Jafri of Mohajir Qaumi Movement, “Book” to Aslam Mujahid of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and “Fish” to Noor-ul-Islam of MPA.