Kohat: Voter registration in Kohat has reached 55% of the district’s estimated population for 2025, surpassing the national registration rate by one percentage point. According to Free and Fair Election Network, these statistics were derived from district-wise electoral roll figures released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on December 30, 2025, and are based on population estimates from the 2023 Digital Census.

The district, which ranks 73rd in population size out of 136 districts nationwide, estimates a population of 1,279,006 for 2025, calculated using a 1.78% inter-censal annual growth rate from the 2023 census base population of 1,234,661. The total number of registered voters in Kohat stands at 699,680, with males constituting 53.6% and females 46.4% of the electorate. Among the male population, 57% are registered to vote, while the registration rate for females is 52%.

Kohat’s voter registration rate places it 50th nationally and 21st within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. The higher-than-average registration rate is attributed to specific rules from the 2023 Digital Census, which did not count household members absent for more than six months at their home address, but rather at their current residence. Many of Kohat’s residents, who are engaged in labor migration to urban centers and abroad, were counted at their destination rather than in Kohat, yet remain registered as voters in Kohat due to their permanent CNIC address. This results in a smaller population denominator compared to the voter roll, contributing to the district’s higher registration ratio.

Female voters, making up 46.4% of the registered electorate, highlight a gender gap of 7.1%. Despite the district’s overall strong registration rate, ongoing efforts to increase female voter registration remain crucial.