The number of women candidates who filed nominations for the 2023 general polls is higher than the previous two occasions but it still stands at a mere 11 per cent of the total people filing to contest the polls.

As many as 3,139 women (over 11 per cent) of the total 28,626 candidates have filed nomination papers for 2024 general elections, reported Dawn News.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), as many as 471 women, including Maryam Nawaz Sharif, filed nomination papers to contest elections on general seats of the National Assembly, the newspaper reported.

In the provincial assemblies, 802 female candidates filed papers for various constituencies.

For the seats reserved for women in national and provincial assemblies, 459 and 1,365 nomination papers were filed, respectively, reported Dawn News.

Thirty-two women submitted papers for reserved seats in the provincial assemblies for non-Muslims, whereas 10 candidates filed papers for NA seats reserved for non-Muslims, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

As many as 1,687 women had filed nomination papers in 2018 general elections whereas 1,171 women joined nomination papers in 2013.