ISLAMABAD: In a recent turn of events, religious party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) headed by Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi has jumped into the electoral politics getting in more candidates than many other active parties in the political arena for decades.
According to a local media report, TLP has fielded more than 150 candidates for the National Assembly seats across the country after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced its incomplete ‘final list’ of candidates.
The information missing from the ECP data, available on their official website, is that of candidates from 23 constituencies in three Punjab districts. This information is withheld due to ‘court cases’ the report said. Moreover, the details of the candidates from a Rawalpindi constituency, NA-56, are also missing, for which the ECP has not mentioned any reason.
According to an analysis, after Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), TLP is the only party which gathered over 100 candidates 117 constituencies of Punjab.
The total number of TLP candidates in these 117 constituencies stands at 103, which means that the party has fielded candidates on 87 per cent of the total constituencies in the province.
The religious party gained prominence after it staged a prolonged sit-in at the intersection between Rawalpindi and Islamabad crippling life in the twin cities last year on the issue of Khatm-e-Nubuwat declaration.
The ECP data shows that the PPP has fielded the largest number of 225 candidates (90pc) in 248 constituencies across the country. The PTI and the PML-N have fielded 218 (87pc) and 193 candidates (77pc), respectively, all over the country.
Another religious party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Islami, has also put up 18 candidates in Punjab.
Moreover, looking at the data province wise, it had been found that PTI has fielded 112 candidates in Punjab’s 120 constituencies, followed by the PML-N (111 candidates) and the PPP (108 candidates).
In Sindh, the PPP has fielded 60 candidates, out of 61 constituencies. After the PPP, followed by the PTI (45 candidates) and the PML-N (32 candidates).
The Awami National Party has fielded 38 candidates in KP.
Meanwhile, the ECP has extended the date for applying for the postal ballot for persons with disabilities from July 5 to 10.