The newly elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-67 Hafizabad secured victory in the 2024 general elections without the backing of the majority, as an analysis reveals that 51 per cent of voters cast their ballots for other candidates.

According to Free and Fair Election Network’s (FAFEN) report on Monday, the Final Consolidated Result (Form-49) for the constituency has shown the winning candidate garnered 211,044 votes. While this constituted 46 per cent of the 462,245 ballots cast, it represented the support of only 26 per cent of the area”s 810,723 registered electors.

The data indicates that a significant portion of the electorate, 237,824 individuals, voted for opposition contenders. The runner-up candidate secured a substantial 40 per cent share of the vote, with the third-placed hopeful receiving six per cent. The remaining candidates collectively accounted for another six per cent.

Voter turnout in the constituency on February 8, 2024, stood at 57 per cent. A total of 13,377 ballots, or three per cent of all votes polled, were declared invalid and were not counted towards any candidate”s tally.

This information is part of a constituency-wise report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) which analyses the unrepresentativeness of Pakistan’s electoral outcomes. The organisation’s series highlights how the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system can skew representation, particularly in multi-candidate contests.

FAFEN’s findings suggest that in such electoral races, a victor can be declared without majority support, potentially leaving a large number of voters feeling unrepresented. This dynamic, the analysis notes, can raise questions about legitimacy and may contribute to political instability.