Dera Ismail Khan: A recent analysis of electoral outcomes in Pakistan’s NA-44 constituency has revealed that the winning Member of the National Assembly (MNA) secured the seat with just 24 percent support from registered voters, raising questions about the representativeness of the election results.

The election, held on February 8, 2024, saw the winning candidate receive 92,161 votes, amounting to 43 percent of the 215,399 ballots cast. However, this figure represents only a quarter of the total 391,882 registered voters in the constituency. Despite a voter turnout of 55 percent, the majority of those who voted chose other candidates.

According to the Final Consolidated Result (Form-49), 116,503 voters, or 54 percent of those who cast ballots, supported candidates other than the eventual winner. The runner-up garnered 28 percent of the votes, while the third-place candidate received 16 percent. The remaining candidates collectively received 10 percent of the votes. Additionally, 6,735 ballots, accounting for three percent of the total, were declared invalid.

This analysis is part of a broader series by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), which scrutinizes the unrepresentative nature of electoral outcomes in Pakistan. The series highlights how the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system may not adequately reflect voter intentions, especially in races with multiple candidates. Such discrepancies could potentially undermine public confidence in the electoral process and contribute to political instability.