The Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for NA-87 Khushab-I from the 2024 General Elections represents less than a quarter of the total registered electorate, securing the seat despite a majority of participating voters casting their ballots for other contenders, a new analysis reveals. The victor”s 117,775 votes constituted just 24 per cent of the 489,879 registered voters and 43 per cent of the total ballots cast.
According to the Final Consolidated Result (Form-49) for the constituency reported by Free and Fair Election Network on Sunday, voter turnout stood at 56 per cent. However, the electoral outcome shows that the winning candidate lacked the backing of the majority of those who exercised their franchise on February 8, 2024. A combined total of 153,588 people, or 56 per cent of participants, voted for rival candidates.
A detailed breakdown of the 273,165 valid ballots shows the runner-up candidate secured a significant 40 per cent share. The third-placed contender received five per cent of the vote, while the remaining field of candidates collectively obtained 11 per cent. An additional 1,802 ballots, representing one per cent of the total, were declared invalid and did not contribute to any candidate”s tally.
This electoral data is part of a constituency-wise analysis by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), which scrutinises the representative nature of Pakistan”s electoral results. The series highlights systemic issues within the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system, particularly in multi-candidate contests common in Pakistan. FAFEN”s report suggests such outcomes, where a winner is elected without majority support, can create a sense of underrepresentation and raise questions about legitimacy, potentially contributing to political instability.