File photo. Abdul Majeed—AFP
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday released the final list of contesting candidates, showing 17,816 candidates—11,785 independents and 6,031 party-affiliated—contesting the polls for the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.
While the ECP’s initial schedule had called for the list to be issued on Jan. 13, it was delayed due to litigation over electoral symbols and rejection/acceptance of nomination papers. Several prominent political leaders have opted to either not contest the polls, or been knocked out, including PTI founder Imran Khan, PMLQ leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Awami National Party’s Asfandyar Wali. Another wrinkle is the absence of the PTI’s electoral symbol, which was withdrawn by the ECP, leaving its candidates to contest as independents.
According to the list issued, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader—and fourth-time prime minister aspirant—Nawaz Sharif will face off against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s incarcerated Dr. Yasmin Rashid in Lahore’s NA-130 constituency. Sharif is also contesting from NA-15 (Mansehra).
PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, is contesting from NA-123 (Lahore), where he faces the PTI’s Afzaal Azeem, and NA-132 (Kasur), where his chief opponents are the PTI’s Mohammad Ali Dogar and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s Shaheen Safdar.
PMLN Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz is contesting polls from NA-119 (Lahore) against PTI’s Mian Abaad Farooque and PPP’s Iftikhar Shahid. Former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shehbaz, also of the PMLN, is contesting NA-118 (Lahore) against incarcerated PTI leader Aliya Hamza and PPP’s Shahid Abbas. Both Maryam and Hamza are also aspirants for the Punjab Assembly.
From the PPP, Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari is contesting polls from NA-207 (Shaheed Benazirabad), with his chief opponent Sardar Sher Mohammad Rind Baloch of the PTI. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, meanwhile, would contest from NA-194 (Larkana), against the PTI’s Saifullah Abro; NA-196 (Qambar Shahdadkot) against PTI’s Habibullah; and NA-127 (Lahore) against PMLN’s Ataullah Tarar and PTI’s Chaudhry Shabbir Gujjar.
PPP leader and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is contesting NA-148 (Multan) against PTI’s Taimur Malik and PMLN’s Ahmad Hussain. In NA-151 (Multan), his son Ali Musa Gilani will contest polls against PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter Mehr Bano Qureshi. Also in Multan (NA-149), Jahangir Tareen of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) will face off against PTI’s Amir Dogar.
In NA-122 (Lahore), PMLN’s Khawaja Saad Rafiq would face off against PTI’s Sardar Latif Khosa, while NA-128 (Lahore) would see PTI’s Salman Akram Raja against IPP’s Mohammad Aun Saqlain.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is contesting NA-44 (Dera Ismail Khan) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where he is facing PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur and PPP’s Faisal Karim Kundi; and NA-265 (Pishin/Ziarat) in Balochistan, where his primary rival is PTI’s Syed Zahoor Agha.
In NA-241 (Karachi) Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQMP)’s Farooq Sattar will face PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman, while in NA-242 (Karachi), MQMP leader Mustafa Kamal will face Qadir Khan Mandokhel of the PPP and PTI’s Dawa Khan.
In NA-54 (Rawalpindi), independent Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would face IPP’s Ghulam Sarwar and PTI’s Azar Masood. In NA-56 (Rawalpindi), Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid and PMLN’s Hanif Abbasi are facing off, with PTI’s Shahryar Riaz also a candidate from the constituency.
PTI leader Gohar Ali Khan is contesting from NA-10 (Buner) against former PTI MNA Sher Akbar Khan, who is now part of the PTI-Parliamentarians. PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan is contesting from NA-18 (Haripur) against PMLN’s Babar Nawaz, while PTI’s Asad Qaiser is in the running from NA-19 (Swabi).
ANP leader Aimal Wali Khan is contesting against JUIF’s Maulana Gohar Shah in NA-25 (Charsadda).
PTI-P chief Pervez Khattak is vying for NA-33 (Nowshera), against PTI’s Syed Shahid Ali Shah. He is also contesting two provincial assembly seats.
PMLN leaders Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, Khurram Dastagir and Abid Sher Ali are also facing strong opposition from the PPP and independents affiliated with the PTI.