ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis go to the polls Wednesday to elect a third straight civilian government, with more than 12,000 candidates vying for 272 seats in parliament and 577 seats in four provincial assemblies.
Under Pakistani law, separate seats are reserved for women and non-Muslim minorities, which comprise about 4 percent of the country’s more than 200 million residents.
The election comes amid controversy surrounding former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who recently returned to the country from England to face corruption charges even as he has sought to return his party, the Pakistan Muslim League, to power. Meanwhile, popular former cricket player Imran Khan hopes to become the next premier.
Here is a look at contested seats in the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies and the number of candidates running.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The National Assembly in the capital Islamabad is comprised of 342 seats, of which 272 open seats are being contested. The remaining 70 seats are reserved for women and non-Muslims, with 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims.
Punjab is the largest province and key to the formation of a new government with 141 assembly seats being sought by 1,623 candidates. For the 35 seats reserved for women from Punjab, 73 candidates are listed.
The party obtaining the majority of seats in Punjab will likely form the next government. The three major parties — Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf, the former ruling Pakistan Muslim League and Bilawal Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party — are focusing on Punjab. Khan, Zardari and PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif are campaigning for multiple seats. (Pakistani law allows candidates to run for multiple seats).
In southern Sindh province, there are 61 National Assembly seats being contested by 824 candidates and 48 candidates are vying for the 14 seats designated for women.
For northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, where there are 39 National Assembly seats, there are 725 candidates in the field. There are eight reserved seats for women with 35 candidates listed.
In southwestern Baluchistan province, 16 seats are up for grabs with 287 candidates running for them, and three seats for women with 16 candidates.
The capital city Islamabad has three assembly seats and this year 73 candidates are in the running.
There are 12 assembly seats being contested in the tribal belt along the Afghan border and 289 candidates are competing for those seats.
PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLIES
— Punjab Assembly: It has 371 seats, of which 297 are being contested by 4,036 candidates. Vying for the 66 seats for women are 174 candidates and for the eight seats for non-Muslims, 32 candidates are lined up.
— Sindh Assembly: For the 168-seat body, 130 seats are being contested by 2,252 candidates. For the 29 seats for women, 91 candidates are listed and for nine reserved seats for non-Muslim minorities, 39 candidates are listed.
— Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly: In the 124-seat assembly, 99 seats are being contested by 1,154 candidates. The election of one seat has been postponed due to the death of a candidate in a suicide attack in the provincial capital Peshawar. For 22 women’s seats, 79 candidates are lined up and for three minority seats, 20 candidates are in the wings.
— Baluchistan Assembly: There are 939 candidates in the running for 51 general seats. The contest for one seat has been postponed due to the death of a candidate and 148 supporters in the district of Mastung in a suicide bombing. The attacker blew himself up as provincial candidate Siraj Raisani held a rally in the Drin Garh area of Mastung.
For the 11 seats reserved for women, 42 candidates are in line. For three reserved seats for non-Muslims there are 22 candidates.
A look at the seats up for grabs in Pakistan’s elections
A look at the seats up for grabs in Pakistan’s elections
Pakistan urges pilgrims to complete Saudi biometrics as Hajj preparations gain pace
- Government warns pilgrims biometric verification is required for Hajj visas
- Step follows tighter oversight after last year’s Hajj travel disruptions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Friday urged aspiring pilgrims to complete mandatory Saudi biometric verification for Hajj visas, as preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage gather pace following stricter oversight of the Hajj process.
The announcement comes only a day after Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said regulations for private Hajj operators had been tightened, reducing their quota following widespread complaints last year, when tens of thousands of pilgrims were unable to travel under the private Hajj scheme.
“Saudi biometric verification is mandatory for the issuance of Hajj visas,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement, urging pilgrims to complete the process promptly to avoid delays.
“Hajj pilgrims should complete their biometric verification at home using the ‘Saudi Visa Bio’ app as soon as possible,” it added.
The statement said the pilgrims who were unable to complete biometric verification through the mobile application should visit designated Saudi Tasheer centers before Feb. 8, adding that details of the centers were available on Pakistan’s official Hajj mobile application.
Pakistan has been steadily implementing digital and procedural requirements for pilgrims ahead of Hajj 2026, including mandatory training sessions, biometric checks and greater use of mobile applications, as part of efforts to reduce mismanagement.
Saudi Arabia has allocated Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, with the majority of seats reserved under the government scheme and the remainder allocated to private tour operators.
