QUETTA: Election preparations have entered a critical phase as 2,710 candidates are set to contest the upcoming local government LG elections in Quetta, scheduled for December 28, 2025. The district’s electoral landscape encompasses four Town Municipal Corporations—Zarghoon, Chiltan, Sariab, and Takatu—spanning 172 union councils and 641 wards.
According to election officials, the scrutiny process for nomination papers has concluded. Out of 3,150 papers submitted, 2,710 were approved, while 440 were rejected. A notable aspect of the candidate pool is the participation of 33 women who filed nomination papers. A town-wise breakdown reveals that Zarghoon Town saw 767 approved candidates from 943 submissions, Chiltan Town approved 616 from 703, Sariab Town approved 483 from 561, and Takatu Town led with 844 approvals from 943 submissions.
The post-scrutiny scenario sets the stage for competitive polls in 532 wards. However, 89 wards are likely to see uncontested victories, with only a single candidate approved in each. Furthermore, 20 wards received no nomination papers, leaving those seats vacant for now.
Election authorities have announced that the deadline for filing appeals with the Appellate Tribunal against the decisions of Returning Officers is November 28. This marks the next crucial step in finalizing the candidate list for the year-end polls, which are pivotal for the city’s local governance.
Meanwhile Governor Balochistan Jafar Khan Mandokhail has stated that patients from all districts of Balochistan depend on Quetta for medical treatment, which places immense pressure on the city’s public hospitals.
He expressed regret that despite the passage of more than five decades, Quetta still lacks a major modern hospital.
He added that even today a large number of patients are forced to travel to Karachi for treatment, putting their lives at serious risk, as some patients do not survive the journey.
He stressed that the government must take urgent steps to resolve this long-standing issue and ensure that quality healthcare services are made available within the province.
The Governor expressed these views during his visit to the Kidney Hospital on Samungli Road, followed by an inspection of Dar-ul-Shifa Imam Khomeini in Hazara Town.
