HYDERABAD, Sept 10: Three National Assembly candidates from NA-218 Hyderabad-I (Hala) — Inayatullah Memon, Urs Gahoti, and Mumtaz Gahoti — have withdrawn their candidature in favour of the chairman, People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP), Makhdoom Mohammad Amin Fahim, while four candidates — A. Dino Hajano, Abdul Khaliq Samoon, Urs Gahoti, and Mumtaz Gahoti — have withdrawn their candidature in favour of Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman, Fahim’s son, from PS-43 Hyderabad-I (Hala).

This was announced during the press conference addressed by Mr Fahim at the residence of Syed Waddal Shah at Gulistan-e-Sajjad on Tuesday.

All the candidates were present on the occasion.

An SDA leader, Iqbal Khaskheli, announced that he had joined the PPP with his entire community.

Mr Fahim said that the PPP would take part in the general elections in all the four provinces with full force.

He said that all election-related decisions were being taken by the central executive and federal council of the party.

Answering a question, he said the talks about seat adjustments were going on with the PML (N) but nothing had been finalized so far.

He said negotiations were also going on with the MQM leadership in Pakistan.

When his attention was drawn to the statement of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan that ARD components might boycott the elections, Mr Fahim said that not only Mr Nawabzada but he, himself, had repeatedly said that “if we were pushed against the wall, we will keep all our options open”.

He said that the election campaign was proceeding at a snail’s pace, and added that it was due to the uncertain conditions created by the government.

He said the government had banned public meetings and processions, and set a code of conduct, which was simply ridiculous.

Nevertheless, he said, the election activities will start picking up within the next few days.