PESHAWAR: Around 8.8 million of 21.9 million voters registered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa exercised their franchise in the Feb 8 general elections for provincial assembly seats, reveals the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Voter turnout was 39.2 per cent, according to the figures posted on the ECP’s website.

The ECP figures showed that 5.9 million men and 2.9 million women exercised their right to vote on Feb 8 with their turnouts totalling 64.2pc and 35pc respectively.

Copies of Form 47 posted on the ECP website revealed that PK-75 Peshawar-IV recorded the highest voter turnout of 64pc among the provincial assembly constituencies in KP.

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A total of 141, 012 voters were registered in the constituency and 90,244 of them participated in the electoral exercise.

Highest turnout of 64pc reported in Peshawar, lowest of 12pc in Upper South Waziristan

The second highest voter turnout of 62.2pc was reported in PK-74 Peshawar-III, where 94,653 out of 152,171 registered voters exercised their franchise.

PK-111 Dera Ismail Khan-I recorded 61pc turnout as 122,162 out of 200,334 voters polled their ballots.

Similarly, a good turnout of 59.5pc was reported in PK-112 Dera Ismail Khan II where 96,193 of 161,566 voters exercised their franchise.

Dera Ismail Khan’s PK-144 constituency recorded 57.2pc turnout as 83,956 voters exercised their right to vote. Registered voters in this constituency totalled 145,333.

More than 50pc turnout for provincial assembly seats was reported in Upper and Lower Chitral, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Haripur and Lakki Marwat districts as well.

Upper Chitral district’s PK-1 witnessed a remarkable feat as it was the only district in the province where female voters outnumbered male ones.

PTI-backed independent candidate Surraiya Bibi won election in this constituency to become the only woman lawmaker elected on a general seat in the provincial assembly.

This constituency registered 50.4pc voter turnout. Out of 130,189 registered voters, 65,722 went to polling stations to exercise their franchise.

The number of women voters in this constituency stood at 35,377 compared to 30,345 men.

PK-2 Lower Chitral witnessed 55.4pc voter turnout. Out of 183,361 registered voters, 101,675 polled their votes. A total of 54,344 men and 47,331 women cast ballots on Feb 8.

PK-31 Upper Kohistan recorded 50.4pc voter turnout, PK-32 Upper Kohistan 54pc. PK-105 Lakki Marwat reported 52pc turnout as 89,296 out of 168,852 voters cast ballots.

In PK-47 Haripur-II, 52.3pc voter turnout was reported as 126,850 people polled votes in the constituency. Registered voters there totalled 242,563.

Haripur district’s PK-46 recorded 48.1pc voter turnout and PK-48 around 50pc.

On the other hand, the voter turnout for provincial assembly seats in merged tribal districts remained low.

Upper South Waziristan district’s PK-109 constituency recorded the lowest turnout of 12pc as out of a total of 292,024 registered voters, only 34,834 exercised their franchise.

Similarly, 24.4pc voter turnout was reported in PK-63 Mohmand-II, 22pc in PK-69 Khyber-I, 26pc in PK-70 Khyber-II and 18pc in PK-71 Khyber-III.

Also, a low voter turnout was recorded in PK-93 Hangu and PK-94 Orakzai (both 24pc) and PK-110 South Waziristan Lower (24pc).

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2024