QUETTA, Sept 13: Twenty-nine candidates have filed nomination papers for the post of nazim Quetta City district in the third phase of local body elections. In two towns of Quetta district, 53 candidates are in the run — 27 for Chiltan Town and 26 for Zarghoon Town.

According to reports, the chief minister’s son Jam Kamal and Mohammad Sadiq Chhutto of the Jam-Bhootani penal, backed by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League had been elected unopposed for the slots of district nazim Lasbela and tehsil nazim Dureji respectively.

“No candidate filed nomination papers against them,” Aslam Bhootani, deputy speaker Balochistan Assembly told Dawn.

Prominent candidates who are contesting election of city nazim Quetta include former Nazim Quetta City government Mohammad Rahim Kakar, PPP MPA Shafiq Ahmed Khan, former Mayor Quetta Mir Maqbool Ahmed Lehri, former provincial minister Dr Kalimullah Khan, former nazim Chiltan town Quetta Mohammad Ismail Lehri, and naib nazim Quetta city government Mir Wali Mohammad Lehri.

Besides, former senator Mohammad Anwar Durrani, Behroz Hussain Baloch, former minister Jalil Dottani and Sadiq Din Advocate former nazim Zarghoon Town are also in the run.

For reserved seats 208 candidates have filed their nomination papers for Quetta city government while for Chiltan Town 102 candidates, including 43 women, are in the run. In the Zarghoon Town 110 candidates, including 42 women, would contest election for reserved seats.