Nearly 18,000 election candidates set to participate in February 8 polls: ECP

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has confirmed that 18,000 candidates are going to contest for national and provincial assembly seats in the upcoming general elections set to take place on February 8.

ECP released its final list of candidates on Sunday.

According to the ECP, 11,785 candidates will take part as independent candidates in the polls, and 6,031 will compete under the banner of their respective political parties.

On the other hand, some well-known politicians, including founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and Asfandyar Wali, are out of the race for multiple reasons.

After having been denied their preferred election symbol after its intra-party elections were found to be contrary to its own constitution and relevant laws, PTI has fielded its candidates as independents, and each one of them has been allotted a different symbol.

On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is contesting the elections from NA-15, Mansehra, and NA-130. The former prime minister and Nawaz’s brother, Shehbaz Sharif, is taking part in polls from NA-123, Kasur, and NA-132, Lahore.