Narowal: In the recent General Elections of 2024, the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-75 Narowal-I was declared the winner despite receiving the backing of only 16 percent of the registered voters. The MNA captured 100,116 votes, representing 31 percent of the total 324,716 ballots cast in the constituency, which has a registered voter base of 628,860.
According to Free and Fair Election Network, the final consolidated results indicated that the voter turnout was 52 percent. The elected MNA's victory was marked by the fact that 66 percent of those who voted, totaling 214,769 individuals, cast their ballots for other candidates, illustrating a significant portion of voter preference against the winner. The runner-up in the race garnered 23 percent of the votes, while the third-place finisher received 16 percent. The remaining candidates shared 27 percent of the ballots. Additionally, 9,831 ballots, accounting for three percent of the total, were invalidated.
This election result is part of an analysis by FAFEN, focusing on the challenges of representativeness under Pakistan’s First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system. The analysis sheds light on how this system may distort representation in multi-candidate contests, often leaving a substantial segment of the electorate feeling unrepresented. Such outcomes are posited to potentially undermine the perceived legitimacy of elected officials and contribute to political instability.