KARACHI, Dec 24: There are 13 candidates in the run for the Senate seat that has fallen vacant due to the demise of Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani.

Nomination papers for the election were filed by 14 candidates and those of a PML-Q man, Sahibzada Muniruddin Khan, were rejected on technical grounds in scrutiny on Wednesday. Neither he, nor his proposer or seconder was present during the scrutiny process. He had not attached the extract showing his enlistment in the voting list and, as such, his nomination was rejected.

For this general seat from Sindh, four of the 13 candidates have been fielded by the opposition and the rest by the ruling coalition.

According to a break-up of qualified contestants, four belong to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement; two each to PML-Q, PML, PPP and MMA; and one belongs to the National Alliance.

Jan 5 is the last date for the withdrawal of nominations whereas polling is to be held on Jan 10. The chief election commissioner has appointed Ahmed Ali Halepota (provincial election commissioner) as Returning Officer. Saifur Rehman Iqbal (provincial joint election commissioner) and Mehbub Anwar (deputy election commissioner, Karachi) have been appointed as polling officers.

Following is the list of candidates:

MQM: Dr Muhammad Ali Brohi, Muhammad Abrarul Haque, Col (r) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Dr Fahimuddin Ansari.