HYDERABAD, Sept 15: At least 82 candidates have withdrawn nomination papers for the six national and 12 provincial assemblies seats of Hyderabad district on the last date for the withdrawal here on Saturday.
The deadline for withdrawal had previously been set at 5 pm on Saturday but it was extended till 9 pm.
Most of the covering candidates have withdrawn from the electoral race while some political adjustments have also been made.
As many as 22 candidates withdrew their nomination papers from six national assembly seats whereas 60 candidates have withdrawn from the contest on provincial assembly seats.
Ten candidates withdrew their nomination papers from NA-218 (Hyderabad-I). They included Shahid Ali Jokhio (PML-N), Makhdoom Jameel-uz-Zaman (PPP), Maulvi Abdullah (MMA), Mir Haider Talpur (PTI), Mohkamuddin (PML-F), Pir Irshadullah (PML-J), Makhdoom Fazal Hussain, Mumtaz Gahoti and Urs Gahoti and Inayatullah Memon (Independents).
The deputy convenor of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s coordination committee, Aftab Shaikh, who was a covering candidate for Prof Khalid Wahab, has withdrawn from NA-219 (Hyderabad-II). Likewise, the covering candidate for Shaikh in NA-220 (Hyderabad-III) and PP Parliamentarians’ Zaheeruddin Ghuman, another covering candidate, withdrew their nominations from the same constituency. Two candidates, Pir Amjad Hussain Shah Jillani of the PPP and Muttahida’s Qamar Shahbaz withdrew their nomination papers from NA-221 (Hyderabad-IV). Four candidates — Ghulam Ullah Chang (Independent), Mir Ali Nawaz Talpur, Majeed Nizamani (Independent) and Syed Mohsin Shah Bukhari of the PP Parliamentarians — also withdrew their nomination papers from NA-222 (Hyderabad-V).
Three candidates — Syed Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi of the PP Parliamentarians, Abdul Aijaz of the PML-N and Mahmood Qadir of the Muttahida — have withdrawn their nomination papers from NA- 223 (Hyderabad-VI).
Those who have withdrawn from PS-43 (Hyderabad-I) include Rao Taufiq Ahmed (PML-N), Abdul Khaliq Samoon, Allah Dino Hajjano, Makhdoom Fazal Hussain (Independents) and Makhdoom Ameen Fahim (PPP), Syed Zahid Hussain Shah (PML-F), Peer Mohammad Zaman Shah (PML-F), Ramzan Ali (Muttahida) and Muqqadas (PML-J).
Other candidates who withdrew their nomination papers are:
From PS-44, (Hyderabad-II), Altaf Hussain (Muttahida), Hafiz Muhammad Akram (MMA), Syed Sikandar Ali Shah (PML-F) and Mumtaz Gahoti and Muhammad Urs Gahoti.
From PS-45, (Hyderabad-III), Aslam Pervez of the Muttahida.
From PS-46, (Hyderabad-IV), Abid Mahmood Ghauri, Mohammad Naeem Ishtiaque and Rakshinda Moeez (independents).
From PS-47, (Hyderabad-V), Mohammad Iqbal Soomro, Maula Bux Chandio and Mir Fateh Talpur (PPP), Syed Inayatullah and Zahid Ali Mirza (independents) and Nisar Baloch, advocate (Muttahida).
From PS-48, (Hyderabad-VI), six candidates including Prof Shah Azmat Ali and Arshad Shah of the Muttahida, Naeem Hussain, Agha Saleem and Saira Naseer (independents) and Muhammad Iqbal (PML-Q).
From PS-49, (Hyderabad-VII), Ali Bux Bhatti of the PPP, Sajida Baloch and Farooque Qureshi of the Muttahida.
From PS-50, (Hyderabad-VIII), Mir Sher Muhammad (PTI), Nawab Huma Talpur and Haji Darya Khan of PML-Q, Syed Naveed Qamar of the PPP and Ghulam Ali Gopang (independent).
From PS-51 (Hyderabad-IX), Devi Das (independent) and Haque Nawaz Khan (Muttahida).
From PS-52, (Hyderabad-X), Abdul Lateef Mangrio and Aijaz Ali (PPP), Adeeba Gul Magsi and Abdul Aijaz (PML-N) and Wali Muhammad Leghari (MMA).
From PS-53, (Hyderabad-XI) Mir Jawad and Mir Murtaza (independents), Mir Muhammad Khan Talpur (SDA), Ghulamullah Chang, Fazal Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Ashfaque, Peer Sajjad Saeed Jan Sarhandi and Ms.Nayyar Sultana (independents).
From PS-54, (Hyderabad-XII) Shamsul Arfeen of the PML-N, Mir Ali Nawaz Talpur (independent), Mir Murtaza, Peer Sajjad Saeed Jan Sarhandi, Babu Allah Rakhio Sathio, Syed Aijaz Ali and Mir Jawad Ali (independents).