By Sajjid Murtaza
Lahore, Pakistan: The number of women candidatures for General Elections 2018 has gone double for National Assembly seats in Punjab as 236 women have filed nomination papers from Punjab for National Assembly seats comparing to 123 who submitted nomination papers in 2013 General Elections.
The number for the nomination papers for Provincial Assembly Punjab is almost three times higher than in General Elections 2013 as 664 women have submitted nomination papers comparing to 231 who submitted their nomination paper during General Elections 2013.
There is less interest left among women to contest elections from the province of Baluchistan where only 36 women have submitted nomination papers for National Assembly seats in General Elections 2018 comparing to 50 Â who submitted their papers for General Elections 2013. While 116 women have submitted their papers for the General Elections 2018 for Provincial Assembly seats comparing to 114 who aspired to contest elections in 2014.
Since FATA seats are now included in KPK province therefore judgment for interest of women to contest General Elections 2018 can politically not be gauged without error as 88 women have submitted their nomination papers for the General Elections of 2018 papers for National Assembly seats from KPK cum FATA comparing to 78 who submitted their nomination papers for General Elections 2013. Meanwhile, 262 women have submitted their nomination papers for the provincial Assembly General Election of KPK comparing to 229 who aspired to contest elections during 2013 General Elections.
There are fewer women left in the province of Sindh in electoral run as only 76 women have submitted their nomination papers for the National Assembly seats for General Elections 2018 comparing to 99 who submitted their papers during General elections 2013. Trend is same for Provincial Assembly seats of Sindh as 213 women have submitted their papers for General Elections 2018 comparing  247 who aspired to contest elections in General Elections 2013.
Overall, as many as 436 women have filed their nomination papers from all over Pakistan for General Elections 2018 for 272 seats National Assembly comparing to 350 women who aspired to contest during 2013 General Elections.
While total number of women who have filed their nomination papers for all four provincial assemblies seats is now 1,255 while number was 821 during General Elections 2013.
