Bahawalpur: In the recent General Election of 2024, the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-168 Bahawalpur-V secured victory with 122,302 votes, amounting to 58% of the 209,393 ballots cast. This, however, represents only 27% of the 447,963 registered voters in the constituency. Under Pakistan's First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system, a candidate wins by obtaining the highest vote share, not necessarily a majority.
According to Free and Fair Election Network, the voter turnout in NA-168 was recorded at 47%. The constituency was among 70 out of 266 National Assembly constituencies where the winner managed to secure 50% or more of the polled votes. Nevertheless, 83,949 voters, or 40%, did not support the winning candidate. The winner's share among the total registered voters remained at only 27%.
The runner-up candidate garnered 24% of the ballots cast, while the third-placed candidate received 5%. The remaining candidates collectively secured 12% of the votes cast. Additionally, 3,142 votes, or 2%, were declared invalid.
This analysis is part of FAFEN's examination of electoral representativeness across Pakistan's National Assembly constituencies. Under the FPTP system, the candidate with the highest vote total wins the seat, regardless of whether they have majority support. FAFEN's data highlight that this system often results in elected members lacking broad-based voter support. In contrast, a proportional representation system allocates legislative seats in accordance with the vote shares won, ensuring broader representation of voter preferences. The GE-2024 data illustrate the gap between votes cast and representation secured across all 266 constituencies.