Despite the absence of the traditional electoral pomp and show on the streets, an overwhelming number of candidates are vying for National Asse­mbly seats in the upcoming polls.

A careful analysis of the final candidate list, issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), reveals that a total of 5,160 candidates, including 312 women and two transgender persons, are in the running for 266 general seats of the National Assembly. So far, there is not a single constituency where a one-on-one contest is expected.

But with polls just under two weeks away, reports have started pouring in from various constituencies about candidates announcing their retirement from the race and withdrawing in support of other hopefuls, even after the process of printing of the ballot papers has long begun.

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