The recently elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Lahore”s NA-125 constituency secured victory with the backing of less than one-fifth of the total registered electorate, a new analysis has revealed. Despite winning the seat, the lawmaker did not command the support of the majority of citizens who participated in the 8 February 2024 General Election, with 58 per cent of them casting their ballots for rival contenders.
According to a report by Free and Fair Election Network today, the victorious candidate amassed 65,102 votes. While this figure represented 40 per cent of the 163,916 ballots cast, it accounted for only 19 per cent of the 340,655 registered voters in the electoral area. The overall voter turnout for the constituency was recorded at 48 per cent.
The data further shows that the runner-up candidate secured a significant 31 per cent of the votes cast, while the third-placed contender received 16 per cent. The remaining field of candidates collectively obtained 11 per cent of the vote. Additionally, 3,895 ballots, or two per cent of the total, were declared invalid and were not counted towards any candidate”s tally.
This statistical breakdown is part of a wider analysis by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) examining the unrepresentative nature of Pakistan”s electoral results. The report highlights how the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system can distort representation, particularly in multi-candidate races common in the country.
FAFEN”s analysis suggests that in such electoral contests, where a winner can be declared without securing a majority of the votes, a large portion of the electorate may feel their choice is not reflected in the outcome. This can lead to questions about the legitimacy of the result and may be a contributing factor to political instability.