Female voters in 18% of communities diverged from male voters in choice of candidates, says Fafen
In its latest report, the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) revealed that during the 2024 general elections, female voters in 18% of communities chose different winners than their male counterparts.
According to the report, 82% of communities witnessed male and female voters electing the same candidate. However, where results differed, urban areas showed more divergence than rural areas.
Islamabad topped the list with 37% of communities showing different winners among male and female voters, followed by Balochistan at 32%, Sindh at 19%, and Punjab at 18%. KP had the lowest proportion at 13%.
Fafen’s findings indicate that in 3,884 communities, female voters’ choices favored Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 1,260 communities, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in 1,027, and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) in 694 communities.
Regional analysis highlighted PTI’s strong nationwide performance among women voters, with PML-N leading in Punjab and PPPP dominating Sindh.
In 37 National Assembly constituencies, the majority of voters in female polling stations did not vote for the constituency winner, whereas in 226 constituencies, female polling station voters largely supported the winner.
In seven constituencies, including NA-43 Tank-cum-Dera Ismail Khan, the lead from female polling stations determined the final result. In NA-43, PTI narrowly defeated JUI-F by 555 votes, with a decisive 1,430-vote lead from female polling stations.
