Islamabad: Postal ballots played a pivotal role in determining the outcome of a closely contested seat in Pakistan's General Elections 2024, illustrating their potential to alter electoral results. In the NA-251 constituency, initial counts indicated a victory for Khushal Khan Kakar of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party Pakistan. However, the final results shifted in favor of Syed Sami Ullah of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan after postal ballots were counted, highlighting the importance of transparent management of these votes.

According to Free and Fair Election Network, the Election Commission of Pakistan reported issuing 269,113 postal ballot papers across the country. Of these, only 235,008 were recorded as cast, leaving 34,105 unreturned. Additionally, 17,505 ballots were excluded from the count for various reasons, revealing significant regional differences in the handling of postal votes. Notably, Punjab exhibited an anomaly where the number of postal ballots received exceeded the number issued, prompting calls for further scrutiny.

Balochistan saw 49,960 of 61,000 issued ballots returned, with approximately 9% deemed invalid. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh had return rates of 79% and 75% respectively, with invalid ballots comprising 6% and 5% of the totals. In Islamabad, 80 ballots were cast with only 4% excluded for invalidity. The discrepancies, particularly in Punjab, underscore the necessity for rigorous verification to uphold electoral integrity.

Under the Elections Act, 2017, postal voting is available to government officials on election duty, individuals with disabilities, and those in legal custody. Applications for postal ballots must be submitted within a specified timeframe and are only counted if received before the consolidation of results. The GE-2024 has highlighted the critical role of postal ballots in close races, emphasizing the need for meticulous oversight to ensure fair electoral processes.