An analysis of the General Elections 2024 has revealed a striking democratic deficit in the NA-97 Faisalabad-III constituency, where the victorious Member of the National Assembly (MNA) secured the seat with the backing of only 15 per cent of the total registered electorate.
According to Free and Fair Election Network reported today that as per the Final Consolidated Result (Form-49) for the constituency, the winning candidate garnered 72,846 votes. While this constituted 29 per cent of the 251,820 ballots cast on 8 February 2024, it meant that an overwhelming majority of those who participated-169,776 people or 67 per cent-voted for other contenders.
The voter turnout in the constituency stood at 51 per cent of the 491,703 registered voters. The results indicate a highly fractured mandate, with the runner-up candidate securing a close 28 per cent of the ballots cast and the third-placed contender receiving 13 per cent. The remaining candidates collectively obtained 26 per cent of the votes.
Furthermore, a considerable number of ballots, 9,198 in total, were declared invalid. This figure accounts for four per cent of all votes cast, meaning they were not awarded to any candidate in the contest.
This case study is part of a wider constituency-based analysis by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), which scrutinises the unrepresentativeness of Pakistan’s electoral results. The report suggests that the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system can significantly skew representation, particularly in multi-candidate races common in the country.
FAFEN”s analysis posits that in such contests, a large portion of the electorate may feel unrepresented, raising questions about the legitimacy of the outcome. This lack of broad-based representation, the organisation warns, could potentially contribute to political instability.