Islamabad: The 1977 general elections in Pakistan, held under the administration of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, saw a voter turnout of 57.4% for the National Assembly. With 17.49 million of the 30.48 million registered voters casting their ballots, the elections were marked by significant political turbulence. The results, heavily in favor of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, were contested by the opposition alliance, Pakistan National Alliance, leading to a military coup by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq on July 5, 1977.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, the elections, conducted on March 7, 1977, involved nine opposition parties contesting against the ruling party. The aftermath of the alleged electoral malpractices resulted in the suspension of the Constitution and the imposition of martial law. The gender distribution among registered voters revealed a notable gap, with males comprising 54.9% and females 45.0% of the electorate, though gender-disaggregated voting data was not available at the time.

The rejection rate for ballots at the National Assembly level was 2.2%, accounting for 377,240 of the total votes cast. These rejections were attributed to improper ballot marking and other errors. Punjab emerged as the province with the highest absolute number of votes cast, aligning with its larger share of the national electorate, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan recorded lower polling figures.

The 1977 turnout is part of a broader trend in Pakistan's electoral history, with participation rates fluctuating over the years. The turnout rate reached its peak at 54.9% in 2013 and dipped to its lowest at 34.8% in 1997. The 1977 elections remain a pivotal moment in the country's political history, underscoring challenges in electoral integrity and political stability.