SUKKUR: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Barrister Arsalan Shaikh, is set to become the mayor of Sukkur after his rival, Fareed Siddiqui of the Muttahida Gaumi Movement (MQM), withdrew from the contest on Friday.

Mr Shaikh, who is a son of Senator Islamuddin Shaikh, along with his younger brother MNA Noman Islam Shaikh and PPP candidate for the slot of deputy mayor Tariq Chauhan, visited the MQM zonal office and discussed the election for the top slots of the Sukkur Municipal Corporation with the local leadership of the MQM.

After the meeting, the MQM announced withdrawal of its candidates, Fareed Siddiqui and Yaseen Arain, from the contest for the offices of the Sukkur mayor and deputy mayor, respectively.

The election commission is expected to declare the PPP candidates elected unopposed after the MOM candidates will formally submit their papers for withdrawal from the contest.