UMERKOT, April 4: Nomination forms of Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Nawab Yousuf Talpur of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Kishanchand Parwani of the Peoples Muslim League and others were accepted by the returning officer here on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after submitting the papers, Mr Qureshi who is vice-president of the PTI, said that his family had about 800 years old relations with Sindh.

He said that his elders used to visit Sindh to show people right path of religion and save them from evils but he was visiting Sindh and contesting election from here to save people from [President Asif Ali] Zardari.

In reply to a question, he said that when he had observed that the PPP had been converted into a Zardari league and that the national exchequer was being plundered, he called it quits.

He said that he had advised party workers to comply with the code of conduct envisaged by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Meanwhile, smiles appeared on all faces in the court room when the RO asked a candidate, brother of a spiritual leader who had filed papers for NA 228, some questions about religion and general knowledge.

He replied there was only one Sajda in a funeral prayer and there were seven Rakats in Isha prayers.

He answered that Pakistan came into being in 1946 and the March 23 was the country’s freedom day.

The RO accepted a total of 16 nomination forms for NA-228 after scrutiny, which included those of Khalid Siraj Soomro and Qasim Siraj Soomro of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Syed Sardar Shah, Faquir Jadam Mangrio, Nawab Taimur Talpur and others for PS-68, 69 and 70.

Our Sukkur correspondent adds: A total of 19 nomination papers filed for PS-14, PS-15 and PS-16 Jacobabad were accepted by returning officers Ramesh Lal and Syed Deedar Ali Shah in Jacobabad on Thursday.

The candidates whose forms were approved for PS-14 were; Aslam Abro of PML-N, Mir Tahir Khan Lashari of PPP, Mir Mansab Khan Jakhrani of PML-F, Sardar Dhani Bux Lashari, Arif Brohi (independent), Malik Altaf of Pakistan Parcham Party, Kauro Katohar, Rafique Soomro, Zaheer Khan Jakhrani (independent), Akhtiar Ali Domki (independent), JUI-F leader Dr A.G. Ansari, Shia leader Bandah Ali Jafferi. The form of Mir Zeeshan Panhwar of PML-Q was retained.

Returning Officer Syed Deedar Ali Shah approved nomination forms for PS-15 (Thull). The successful candidates included Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Sarki of PML-F, his brother Dr Sohrab Sarki of PPP, Ali Hassan, Abdul Ghafoor Banglani, PML-F leader Fakir Moula Bux Khoso. Papers of Mir Mansab Ali Jakhrani of PML-F and Mir Jahangir Khan Banglani were also accepted for PS-16 (Thull).