AAMIR SAEED

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday placed a final list of candidates contesting general election 2018 on its website.

The list placed on the ECP’s website includes contestants of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies from all four provinces from every constituency, their home addresses, party symbols and party affiliations.

The final list of the candidates, however, does not mention the contestants from three districts of Punjab province, including Lahore, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, due to ongoing court cases.

According to the final list, a total of 12,570 out of 21,482 candidates, who had filed nomination papers for both the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies, will contest July 25 polls.

A total of 3,675 contestants are in the electoral race for National Assembly seats while 8,895 for the provincial legislatures. Similarly, a total of 172 women are contesting for the National Assembly and 386 for provincial legislatures, besides 113 non-Muslims.

According to the data shared by the ECP, 1,696 contestants for the National Assembly constituencies are from Punjab and 4,242 are for the provincial legislature, including 1,623 for general seats of the National Assembly and 4,036 for general seats of the Punjab Assembly.

Moreover, 73 women are in the run for National Assembly and 174 for the provincial assembly of the largest province; whereas, 32 non-Muslims are also contesting the polls for representation in the provincial assembly.

From Sindh, 872 are contesting for the National Assembly seats and 2,382 for the Sindh Assembly, including 824 for general seats of National Assembly and 2,252 for the provincial legislature. Likewise, 48 women will be contesting for National Assembly seats and 91 for the provincial assembly seats in addition to 39 non-Muslims.

Total contesting candidates for the National Assembly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are 760 and 1,264 for the provincial assembly: of these 725 will be fighting for the general seats of National Assembly and 1,165 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s general seats. Thirty-five women for National Assembly and 79 for the provincial assembly will also be in the field, besides 20 non-Muslims for the provincial assembly seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

For Balochistan National Assembly seats, there are a total of 303 candidates and 1,007 for its provincial assembly seats, including 287 for general seats of National Assembly and 943 for seats of the provincial assembly; whereas, 22 non-Muslims are contesting in the polls for the provincial assembly. For the National Assembly’s non-Muslim seats, 44 are also in the electoral race.