Fafen
ISLAMABAD: A recent report by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) has revealed a notable difference in the number of votes cast for National Assembly (NA) and Provincial Assembly (PA) seats in Pakistan’s 2024 general elections, highlighting disparities across various provinces.
In Punjab, the National Assembly received 37.06 million valid votes, whereas only 36.55 million votes were cast for provincial assembly seats, creating a gap of more than half a million votes.
In Sindh, the vote distribution was more balanced, with 11.41 million votes cast for the National Assembly and 11.34 million for the Provincial Assembly. However, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the trend reversed, with more votes cast for the Provincial Assembly seats than for the National Assembly.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw a difference of 29,114 more votes for the provincial contest, while Balochistan recorded 28,875 more votes for provincial elections.
This discrepancy can be explained by several factors, including the fact that voters in Islamabad, where no provincial assembly candidates exist, cast 0.59 million votes only for National Assembly candidates.
Moreover, some voters might choose to vote for only one of the two contests, or their votes for one assembly might be rejected for various reasons, while the other is counted as valid.
Fafen’s report also notes that the total number of invalid votes in provincial elections (1.84 million) was higher than in National Assembly elections (1.77 million), which contributed to the difference in vote counts.
The report also examines the party share of votes and seats, showing that the three major parties—PTI, PML-N, and PPP—gained a higher share of seats compared to their share of votes.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI’s stronghold, the party secured 45% of the votes but won 80% of the National Assembly seats. Similarly, in Sindh, PPP received 46% of the votes but claimed 72% of the National Assembly seats.
In Punjab, the race between PTI and PML-N was closely contested, with PTI maintaining a slight lead in National Assembly seats but PML-N narrowly edging ahead in Provincial Assembly seats.
The report also highlighted that while PTI and PPP saw a higher proportion of seats relative to their vote shares, other smaller parties and independent candidates secured 21% of the total votes but only won 13% of the seats.
This points to a broader trend of national parties consolidating their influence across Pakistan’s provincial and national assemblies, with some regional parties still holding significant sway in certain areas.
In terms of voter turnout, Fafen’s analysis showed a higher turnout in National Assembly elections across all provinces compared to Provincial Assembly contests, with the highest difference observed in Balochistan at 0.8%, followed by Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Overall, the report sheds light on the complexities of the 2024 elections, pointing to both the regional variations in voter behavior and the broader trends in party dynamics across the country.
I am a dynamic professional, specializing in Peace and Conflict Studies, Conflict Management and Resolution, and International Relations. My expertise is particularly focused on South Asian Conflicts and the intricacies of the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific Politics. With my skills as a Content Writer, I serve as a bridge between academia and the public, translating complex global issues into accessible narratives. My passion for fostering understanding and cooperation on the national and international stage drives me to make meaningful contributions to peace and global discourse.
