Matiari: In the recent General Election of 2024, the elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-216 Matiari garnered 124,536 votes, representing 55% of the 224,811 ballots cast. However, this figure translates to only 30% of the total 417,629 registered voters within the constituency. Under Pakistan's First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system, a candidate wins by securing the highest number of votes, not necessarily a majority.

According to the Final Consolidated Result (Form-49) of the constituency, the voter turnout was recorded at 54 percent. NA-216 was one of 70 constituencies out of the 266 National Assembly seats where the winner managed to secure 50% or more of the polled votes. Despite this, 91,778 voters, or 41%, did not support the winning candidate. The runner-up in the constituency received 36% of the votes, while the third-placed candidate obtained 2%, and the remaining candidates collectively garnered 3%. Additionally, 8,497 ballots, accounting for 4%, were declared invalid.

This report forms part of FAFEN's comprehensive analysis of electoral representativeness across Pakistan's National Assembly constituencies. Under the FPTP system, the candidate with the highest number of votes wins irrespective of majority support, often leading to elected representatives who do not reflect the majority preference. In contrast, a proportional representation system would allocate seats based on the proportion of votes received, ensuring a broader representation of voter interests in elected bodies. The recent election data highlights the disconnect between votes cast and representation achieved across all 266 constituencies in Pakistan's National Assembly.