North Waziristan: During the 2024 General Elections, the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-40 North Waziristan was elected with a mere 10 percent of support from registered voters. While the candidate garnered 43,400 votes, accounting for 30 percent of the 144,312 ballots cast, this represented only a fraction of the 430,484 registered voters in the constituency.

The Final Consolidated Result (Form-49) revealed a voter turnout of 34 percent. Despite the victory, the elected MNA did not receive the backing of the majority of voters who participated in the election on February 8, 2024. A significant 69 percent, or 98,897 voters, supported other candidates, indicating a lack of consensus for the winner as their representative.

The election witnessed the runner-up candidate obtaining 23 percent of the ballots cast, while another contender secured an equal 23 percent. The remaining candidates collectively gathered 22 percent of the votes. Additionally, 2,015 ballots, comprising one percent of the total, were invalidated and did not contribute to any candidate’s tally.

This development is part of a broader analysis by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), focusing on the unrepresentative nature of electoral outcomes in Pakistan. The series underscores the challenges posed by the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system in multi-candidate contests, which are prevalent in the country. Such scenarios often leave a majority of voters feeling unrepresented, raising concerns about electoral legitimacy and potentially contributing to political instability.