Gujranwala: In the recent general elections held in the NA-78 Gujranwala-II constituency, the elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) secured victory with only 19 percent of the total registered voter support. Garnering 106,504 votes, the representative captured 45 percent of the 239,222 ballots cast, in a constituency with 571,563 registered voters.
According to Free and Fair Election Network, the final consolidated results showed a voter turnout of 42 percent. Despite winning the seat, the MNA did not secure the backing of the majority of voters who participated in the election on February 8, 2024. A significant 53 percent of voters, numbering 127,281, cast their votes for other candidates, indicating a lack of broader support for the winner. The runner-up received 37 percent of the votes, the third-place candidate obtained six percent, and the remaining candidates collectively captured 10 percent. Additionally, two percent of the total ballots, amounting to 5,437, were declared invalid.
The findings are part of a broader analysis by FAFEN on the representativeness of Pakistan’s electoral outcomes, focusing on how the First-Past-The-Post system can affect representation in multi-candidate races. Such dynamics may leave a majority of voters feeling unrepresented, raising concerns about the legitimacy of elections and potentially contributing to political instability. Further insights into these electoral dynamics can be found on the FAFEN website.