PESHAWAR, Aug 8: The number of National Assembly seats in the provincial capital has increased to four under the Conduct of General Election Order, 2002, for the forthcoming general elections to be held on Oct 10.

Previously, there were three seats of the National Assembly here. Similarly, the number of provincial assembly seats in Peshawar has increased to 11 from 8 seats.

During last general elections there were 26 National Assembly and 83 provincial assembly seats in the NWFP. However, under the Conduct of General Election Order, 2002, the number of National Assembly seats has increased to 35 and provincial assembly seats to 99, whereas there are 8 seats reserved for females in the National Assembly and 22 in the provincial assembly.

Under the presidential order, the number of National Assembly seats has been enhanced to 342 from 207 in the country.

Besides Peshawar, there are 3 National Assembly seats for Mardan district and 2 National Assembly seats each for Nowshera, Charssada, Swabi, Abbotabad, Mansehra, Swat and Dir districts. For D.I.Khan district there is one National Assembly seat, whereas another seat is for D.I.Khan-cum-Tank districts. Similarly, there is one seat each for Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Haripur, Batagram, Kohistan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Buner, Shanglapar and Chitral.

According to final list of constituencies published by the Election Commission of Pakistan, Peshawar district has 11 provincial assembly seats; Mardan 8, Charssada, Mansehra and Swabi 6 each; Nowshera, Abbotabad and D.I.Khan 5 each; Bannu, Lower Dir and Haripur 4 each; Kohat, Kohistan, Lakki Marwat, Buner and Upper districts 3 each; Karak, Hangu, Chitral, Malakand Protected Area, Batagram and Shanglapar 2 each; and, Tank district has a single provincial assembly seat.

The preliminary delimitation of constituencies list was pronounced by the Election Commission on March 28, following which objections were decided by the members of the commission in the four provinces. The final list of the constituencies was issued on June 28.