PESHAWAR, Sept 24: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has fielded 77 candidates against 99 general seats of the NWFP Assembly in the upcoming elections.

In all, 521 candidates are in the run.

The MMA comprises Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan, Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam (Fazlur Rehman), JUI (Samiul Haq), Jamiat-i-Ulema Pakistan (Noorani), Tehrik Nifaz-i-Fiqah Jaafria (Sajid Naqvi).

The number of Pakistan Muslim League(QA) candidates is 62 followed by People’s Party Parliamentarians, 53; Awami National Party, 53; PPP(Sherpao) 46; National Alliance 19; and PML (Zia) three. In all 34 independent candidates are also in the field.

PF-31 Swabi-I is the only constituency where one-on-one electoral battle will take place between ANP’s nominee Aman Khan and a candidate of Swabi Qaumi Mahaz Dr Muhammad Saleem.

PF-64 D.I.Khan-I has the distinction of maximum number of candidates i.e 13, including the former MNA Umer Farooq Miankhel, and ex-MPA Abdul Haleem Qasuria.

Ghazala Habib is the only woman contesting in general seat from PF-57 Mansehra-V on the ticket of PPP(Sherpao).

As many as seven constituencies of the provincial assembly will witness contest between three candidates that included PF-13 Nowshera-II, PF-16 Nowshera-V, PF-17 Charsadda-I, PF-21 Charsadda-V, PF-56 Mansehra-IV, PF-59 Battagram-I and PF-75 Lakki Marwat-II.

Similarly, four candidates, each of them will contest in 13 constituencies of the province. These included PF-9 Peshawar-IX, PF-14 Nowshera-III, PF-19 Charsadda-III, PF-24 Mardan-II, PF-49 Haripur-I, PF-52 Haripur-IV, PF-60 Batagram-II, PF-62 Kohistan-II, PF-63 Kohistan-III, PF-74 Lakki Marwat-I, PF-78 Buner-II, PF-91 Upper Dir-I, and PF-92 Upper Dir-II.

Ten candidates will battle for 20 constituencies, and 11 will be pitched against each other in six constituencies. And 12 candidates are contesting from PF-48 Abbotabad-IV constituency.

For three reserved minority seats in the NWFP assembly, the number of contesting candidates is 22, and 52 women are in the run against their 22 reserved seats.—APP