BAHAWALPUR, Dec 14: Seven more candidates filed nomination papers on Saturday for NA-187 (Bahawalpur five) by-polls. The seat was surrendered by PPP’s Aitzaz Ahsan who retained his Lahore seat.

Those who filed nomination papers on Saturday, the last day, were former Punjab finance minister and PPP leader Muhammad Afzal Sandhu, Saud Majeed Chaudhry, Maulana Shahbaz Bajwa, Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Usman Farooq, Pakistan Seraiki Party (PSP) chief Taj Muhammad Langah and Dr M Ashraf (JI).

Langah told Dawn that he had filed papers on the directive of PPP chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto.

The total number of NA-187 aspirants has now risen to 11 as Syed Tasneem Nawaz Gardezi, Sajjad Jathol, Khalid Mahmood Jajja and Mrs Rozina Jamil Akhtar had submitted their papers earlier. Sandhu had contested NA-191 in October but lost to Ijazul Haq (PML-Z).

Saood Majeed Chaudhry had contested PP-276 in October but was defeated by PPP’s Dr Muhammad Afzal.

Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal was a PPP candidate for PP-272 in October elections but lost to PML-N’s Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar.

Muhammad Usman Farooq, the son of MNA Malik Farooq Azam (National Alliance), lost NA-184 to Malik Aamir Yar Warren, who has now defected to P-5.

Taj Muhammad Langah had also contested NA-183 but lost there. The eleventh candidate, Dr Muhammad Ashraf, a JI activist, is new entrant to the political arena. The scrutiny will be carried out on Tuesday.