ISLAMABAD: As the deadline for submitting nomination papers expired on Sunday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has recorded a total of 28,626 submissions from potential candidates nationwide, all vying for participation in the upcoming elections scheduled for February 8, 2024.
According to data from the ECP, 7,242 men and 471 women have filed nomination papers for national assembly seats (general), while for provincial assemblies, the figures are 17,744 and 802, respectively.
The ECP is currently in the process of scrutinizing the nomination papers, with this stage set to conclude on December 30. Simultaneously, the period for filing appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers extends until January 3, with decisions on these appeals expected by January 10.
The electoral body will release the list of candidates on January 11, providing candidates the option to withdraw until January 12, just before the ECP assigns electoral symbols on January 13.
According to ECP data, 459 and 1,365 nomination papers have been received for reserved seats for the national and provincial legislature, respectively.
For reserved seats for non-Muslims, 361 men and 32 women have submitted their nomination papers for provincial assemblies, while for national assembly seats, the figures are 140 and 10, respectively.
A total of 7,713 individuals have submitted nomination papers for national assembly seats (general), and 18,546 for provincial assemblies (general).
Here is a breakdown of the nomination papers filed across the country based on provinces:
Sindh: The ECP received 6,498 nomination papers in the province, with 1,681 candidates seeking to contest national assembly (general) polls and 4,265 for provincial assembly seats (general). Additionally, 427 nomination papers were filed for women’s reserved seats and 125 for non-Muslim reserved seats in the province.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: In the province, 5,278 nomination papers were filed, with 1,322 candidates for national assembly (general) and 3,464 for provincial assembly seats (general). There were also 418 nomination papers for women’s reserved seats and 74 for non-Muslim reserved seats.
Balochistan: A total of 2,669 nomination papers were received, including 631 for general national assembly seats and 1,788 for general provincial assembly seats. Additionally, 183 women and 67 non-Muslims submitted nomination papers for their respective reserved seats.
Punjab: The province witnessed the filing of 13,823 nomination papers, with 3,871 for national assembly seats (general) and 9,029 for provincial assembly seats (general). Furthermore, 796 and 127 individuals submitted their nomination papers for women’s and non-Muslim reserved seats, respectively.
Islamabad: The federal capital had 208 people submitting nomination papers for national assembly seats (general) and 150 for reserved seats for non-Muslims.
