With Pakistan’s 2024 elections approaching, political parties have put forth their candidates for specific constituencies, each receiving assigned electoral symbols from the ECP. Meanwhile, women candidates are also participating in the predominantly male-dominated electoral competition.

The country’s total registered voter count has risen to 127 million from the previous 106 million, witnessing an increase of 11.74 million women voters compared to 9.28 million male voters, since the 2018 general elections.

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) has allocated six general seat tickets to female candidates, including PML-N chief organizer Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Saira Afzal Tarar, Nosheen Iftikhar, Shazra Mansab Ali, Tehmina Doultana, and Syeda Shehrbanu Bukhari.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has nominated Nafisa Shah and Shazia Marri as ticket holders for National Assembly general seats.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has issued a ‘record’ number of National Assembly tickets to 21 women.

In Punjab, notable female candidates include former MNA Iman Tahir Sadiq from Attock, former MPA Seemabia Tahir from Rawalpindi, Rehana Imtiaz Dar (mother of former adviser to Prime Minister Usman Dar) from Sialkot, Alia Hamza Malik (former MNA from Lahore), Dr. Yasmin Rashid (former provincial minister), Sidra Faisal from Kasur, Mehr Bano Qureshi (daughter of Shah Mahmood Qureshi) from Multan, Ayesha Nazir Jatt (daughter of former MNA Nazir Jatt) from Vahari, and Mrs. Talat Basra (wife of Shaukat Basra) from Bahawalnagar, along with former MNA Kanwal Shuzab from Bahawalpur.

The PTI has allotted National Assembly tickets to candidates such as Mrs. Qamar Javed Waraich from Rahim Yar Khan, Mrs. Humira Ahmad Khan from Muzaffargarh, Mrs. Anbar Majeed Niazi (wife of ex-MNA Majeed Niazi) from Layyah, and former minister Zartaj Gul Wazir from Dera Ghazi Khan.

Furthermore, the PTI has issued National Assembly tickets to Umbreen Malik from Khairpur, Hamida Masood Shah from Sanghar, Maherul Nasa Baloch from Tharparkar, Nazish Fatima Bhatti from Matiari, Rozeena Bhutto from Tando Ulyar, Shabana Nawab Bajarani from Dadu, and former MNA Shandana Gulzar, who was given a ticket from Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa NA-30.

IPP Firdous Ashiq Awan is contesting elections from NA-130 in Sialkot.