ISLAMABAD: For 16 National Assembly and 51 Provincial Assembly general seats, as many as 1,688 candidates were set to contest the February 8, general elections.

Key figures contesting elections from various constituencies of Balochistan include Maulana Fazlur Rahman, who heads Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Akhtar Mengal, former Chief Ministers Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Jam Kamal Khan, Dr. Abdul Malik and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari, Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasar, Khalid Magsi, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and others.

In the National Assembly Constituency NA-261, a major competition was underway featuring Balochistan National Party Chief Akhtar Jan Mengal, former Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri, and former Deputy Chairman Senate Abdul Ghafoor Haidari.

According to the details, the province has a total of 5.37 million registered voters, including 3.02 million male voters and 2.35 million female voters.

Apart from the provincial capital Quetta, Pishin, and Khuzdar, National Assembly seat NA-251 covers multiple districts, including Shirani, Zhob, and Qila Saifullah, with 17 candidates vying for victory.

In NA-252, the constituency includes the districts of Musa Khel, Barkhan, Loralai, and Dikki. Thirty-five candidates, including two seasoned politicians, Sardar Yakub Khan Nasir and Mir Baz Muhammad Khetran, were competing in this area. Moving on to NA-253, it encompasses Harnai, Sibi, Kohlu, and Dera Bugti.

In Dera Bugti, around 30 candidates, including Nawabzada Shazin Bugti and Dostin Domki, were in the electoral race. Shifting focus to NA-254, covers Jhal Magsi, Kachhi, and Nasirabad, with 27 candidates, including Khalid Magsi, Yar Muhammad Rand, and Humayun Aziz Kurd, competing for victory.

In NA-255, which encompasses Sohbatpur, Jafarabad, Aosta Muhammad, and Naseerabad, a total of 46 candidates, including Mir Chingiz Khan Jamali and Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, were participating in the electoral contest.

In NA-256, spanning Khuzdar, 15 candidates, including Akhtar Jan Mengal, seek success. Moving to NA-257, covering Hub, Lasbela, and Awaran, 18 candidates, including Jam Kamal and Aslam Bhutani, were in the contest. Similarly, in NA-258, encompassing Panjgur and Kech, 18 candidates were vying for victory.

In NA-259, covering Kech and Gwadar, 20 candidates, including Dr. Abdul Malik and Kahida Babar, were in contention. Moving to NA-260, spanning Chagai, Nushki, Kharan, and Washik, 25 candidates were competing. In NA-261, 27 candidates were vying for success.

In NA-262, Quetta-I, 38 candidates were participating. In NA-263, which includes Quetta-II, 46 candidates, including Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Lashkari Raisani, were in the race. For NA-264, covering Quetta-III, 35 candidates, including Akhtar Mengal, Humayun Aziz Kurd, and Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, were in the fray.

In the race for NA-265 covering Pishin, 23 candidates, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, were vying. Meanwhile, for NA-266, which includes Qila Abdullah and Chaman, 20 candidates, including Mahmood Khan Achakzai, were competing.

A total of 22 candidates were vying for seats in Balochistan Assembly Constituency PB-1: 20 for PB-2, 20 for PB-3, 29 for PB-4, 31 for PB-5, and 41 for PB-6;32 for PB-7; 24 for PB-8; 31 for 9; 15 for PB-10; 12 for PB-11;28 competing for securing a seat in PB-12; 33 for PB-13;26 for PB-14; 21 for PB-15; 33 for PB-16; 25 for PB-17;14 for PB-18;19 for PB-19; 10 for PB-20;10 for PB-21;17 for PB-22; 9 for PB-23;15 for PB-24;16 for PB-25; 15 for PB-26;20 for PB-27;16 for PB-28;11 for PB-29;9 for PB-30;19 for PB-31;32 for PB-32;19 for PB-33;19 for PB-34;16 for PB-35;36 for PB-36;21 for PB-37;26 for PB-38;43 for PB-39;38 for PB-40; 45 contesting for PB-41;62 contesting to secure PB-42;49 are in the field for PB-43;25 for PB-44;35 for PB-45;36 for PB-46;23 for PB-47;26 for PB-48; 22 for PB-49;23 for PB-50 and 23 candidates are in the arena for securing provincial assembly seat PB-51.