December 17, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 6, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: Following the withdrawal of nomination papers by 20 aspirants, a total of 33 candidates are in the run for two National Assembly seats in the federal capital.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 11 aspirants had withdrawn their nominations from NA-48 and nine from NA-49 constituency. Now 22 candidates will contest the polls from NA-48 and 11 from NA-49.

Only two women contenders are in the run for the two general seats of the capital. Both women - Naila Joseph Dayal and Noreen Khan - have filed the papers from NA-48 constituency. Naila Joseph is also the only minority candidate from Islamabad.

Total number of registered voters in Islamabad is 483,000 of which 238,000 are in NA-48 and 243,000 in NA-49.

According to political analysts, there would be a close contest in NA-49 between a former member of National Assembly, Syed Nayyar Bokhari, of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

In NA-48, the boycott of election by former MNA Mian Mohammad Aslam of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has increased the prospects of success for Dr Israr Shah of PPP, who had lost his both legs in a suicide bomb blast in a party function outside the district courts on July 17, 2007.

However, it is expected that a candidate of PML-N, Anjum Aqeel Khan, will give a tough time to the PPP candidate in the constituency.