LARKANA: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and his younger sister, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, filed their nomination papers for the NA-200 Larkana-I seat while Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) also filed his nomination papers for the same seat on Monday, the last date for the filing of the papers for the 2018 general elections.

Another candidate for the seat is Hafiz Gul Hassan Jatoi of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

It was earlier stated by senior PPP leaders that Aseefa had filed her papers as Bilawal’s covering candidate, but Larkana district general secretary of the party Khair Mohammed Shaikh filed his nomination papers apparently as his party chief’s covering candidate in the evening.

Bilawal’s aunt former MNA Faryal Talpur, who heads the party’s women wing on Monday filed her nomination papers for the PS-10 Ratodero seat for which Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Amir Bakhsh Bhutto is also a candidate. Other PPP leaders who filed their nomination papers for the seat as covering candidates are Aijaz Leghari, Ghulam Mustafa Leghari and A.D. Bhutto.

For PS-11 Larkana, Larkana Awami Ittehad (LAI) leaders Moazzim Abbasi and Haji Munawwar Ali Abbasi and PPP-Workers (PPP-W) president Dr Safdar Abbasi have filed their nominations papers to contest against PPP’s Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and his daughter Nida Khuhro. PAT’s Amanullah Mangnejo is another candidate for the seat.

For NA-202 and NA-203, PPP has fielded Aftab Sha’aban Mirani and Amir Magsi, respectively. Mr Mirani would face a former PPP activist, Dr Ayaz Tunio.

PPP’s Nadir Magsi, Naheed Khuhawar and PTI’s Gaibi Mugheri are the candidates who have opted for the PS-14 Shahdadkot seat while PPP’s Ghanwar Khan Isran, PPP-W’s Dr Safdar Abbasi and LAI’s Haji Munawwar Ali Abbasi are in the fray for PS-15 Mirokhan.

In Hyderabad, PPP-W leader Naheed Khan, the former personal secretary to slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto, filed her nomination for NA-225.

For PS-62, PPP’s Jam Khan Shoro and his brother Kashif Shoro submitted their forms on Monday.

Sindh PPP information secretary Mukhtiar Ahmed alias Aajiz Dhamrah submitted his form for PS-66.

For NA-227, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Aftab Ahmed Shaikh filed his nomination papers while Zubair Ahmed Khan opted for NA-226 and PS-65. Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party (STP) chairman Dr Qadir Magsi filed his nomination papers for PS-62 and PPP’s Malik Asad Sikandar and Dr Asad Sikandar Shoro for PS-82 Jamshoro.

Nafisa Shah, Sadruddin Rashdi to contest from Khairpur

KHAIRPUR: PPP candidate Nafisa Shah filed her nomination papers for the NA-208 seat and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi for the NA-209 seat in Khairpur on Monday. PPP’s Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani and GDA’s Syed Kazim Shah submitted their papers for the NA-210 seat.

Former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah filed his nomination papers for PS-26 Khairpur and former minister Manzoor Hussain Wassan for PS-27 Kot Diji, where GDA candidate Mir Shah Nawaz Talpur is in the fray.

GDA’s Syed Rashid Shah submitted his forms for PS-31 Gambat to contest against PPP’s Naeem Kharal. Rashid Shah has also challenged PPP’s Nawab Khan Wassan for the PS-32 Kingri seat.

Shirazis PPP’s candidates in Thatta this time

THATTA: Former PPP MNA Shamsun Nisa Memon and her party colleagues Pir Rehmani and Gul Mohammad Samoo filed their nomination papers for NA-232 Thatta-I where PTI’s Arslan Brohi also submitted his papers on Monday.

For PS-77 Thatta-I, the candidates in the contest are PPP’s Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Shirazi, Mehmood Alam Shah, Pir Rehmani, Syed Aijaz Ali Shah, Iqbal Dada Kumbhar and Gul Mohammad Samoo of PPP while PTI has fielded Arslan Brohi and MMA Javed Shah for the seat.

For PS-79 Mirpur Sakro, Ali Hasan Zardari, who is a relative of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and hails from Nawabshah, has filed his nomination papers.

His party colleagues Ghani Baghyar, Mumtaz Jalbani and Gul Mohammad Samoo have also submitted their papers.

PPP Senator Sassui Palijo has opted out of contest for the NA-232 Thatta-I and PS-79 on her party’s directive.

In Sujawal, Ayaz Shah Shirazi is the main PPP candidate who, along with his covering candidates submitted his papers. PTI’s Dewan Sunny, JUI-F’s Ismail Soomro and estranged PTI activist Ayesha Gulalai have also filed their nomination papers for the seat.

PPP’s Syed Shah Hussain Shah and Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi have opted for PS-75 Mirpur Bathoro.

Former PPP MPA Mohammad Ali Malkani has filed his nomination papers for PS 76 Jati, where PTI has fielded Naseer Mallah.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2018