Pakistan, which is reeling under political chaos, a resurgence of militancy and an economic crisis, will go to the national polls on Thursday.
Here are 10 points on Pakistan elections 2024
On Thursday, February 8, voting will take place at 90,582 polling stations across the country from 9 AM to 5 PM (local time). Pakistan does not use electronic voting machines (EVMs) and relies on ballot boxes.
Pakistan has a population of 241 million. Of these, 128 million are above the age of 18 and eligible to vote.
This time, a total of 5,121 candidates are in the fight in the National Assembly, with an average of a little over 19 candidates per seat. Of the total number, 4,806 or 94% are male candidates and 312 female candidates. There are two transgender candidates on the list.
There are a total of 336 seats in Pakistan's National Assembly and direct voting is held on 266 seats, while 70 are reserved seats - 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims.
The winning candidates become members of the National Assembly, while the Independents have the option to join any party post results. After the elections, the National Assembly holds a parliamentary vote to select the leader of the house, who also becomes the next prime minister of the country.
A party is required to show a clear majority in the house -- support of at least 169 members -- to form the government.
There are over 160 political parties registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan. This time, the major contenders are Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), and Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which is led by Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari.
Sharif's arch-rival, Imran Khan, whose party won the 2018 elections, is currently behind bars and banned from contesting polls. Candidates from his party -- Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) -- have also been barred from contesting polls under its election symbol. They are contesting as independents this time.
Though Imran Khan continues to hold a significant grassroots following in major parts of the country, the intensity of his party's downfall in recent times and the way Sharif made a comeback in the country's political landscape have made many believe that the outcome of the Pakistan general elections is all but decided.
Experts believe there seems to be only one contender for the prime minister's post -- Nawaz Sharif, who has held the post thrice in the past.
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