From widest to narrowest: Here's a look at vote margin differences across constituencies

Pakistan went to one of the most closely-watched National Assembly elections on February 8, 2024, which was its largest and the most expensive so far. 

The country’s 12th general election was embroiled in controversy right from its very onset. The gagging of cellular and internet services on the polling day and then the snail-paced release of unofficial results has raised too many questions, whose answers, though too obvious to talk about for some, are being brainstormed almost in every quarter.

With the unofficial tallies nearly complete, one interesting fact stands out: a blatant wide spectrum of vote margins across constituencies with a candidate convincingly defeating a strong opponent by a whopping 183,359 votes and another losing by a nail-biting margin of 293 votes.

While there’s widespread condemnation of the results by several political parties — including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) — the other parties have not voiced many concerns as they are on track to form the government.

Taking a look at the election results, which are still unofficial, PTI-backed independent candidate Muhammad Jamal Ahsan Khan won from NA-89 Mianwali 2 with 217,427 votes, while the runner-up, Obaid Ullah Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), secured 34,068 — a lead of 183,359 votes.

In NA-226 Jamshoro, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Malik Asad Sikander won with 165,044 votes and Grand Democratic Alliance’s (GDA) Syed Muneer Haider trailed behind with 30,876 votes — a difference of 134,168 votes.

In NA-213 Umerkot, PPP’s Nawab Yousaf Talpur bagged 175,162 votes and PML-N’s Mir Amanullah Khan Talpur secured 44,847, trailing behind by 130,315.

Unofficial results from NA-90 Mianwali 2 show that PTI-backed Umair Khan Niazi garnered 179,820 votes, while the runner-up, Muhammad Humair Khan Niazi of PML-N, could only get 51, 223, showing a difference of 128,597 votes.

In NA-224 Sujawal, PPP’s Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi secured 134,006 votes and won, while JUI-F’s Molvi Muhammad Saleh Alhadad bagged 15,314 — a difference of 118,692 votes.

NA-202 Khairpur 1 data shows that PPP’s Nafisa Shah bagged 146,083 votes and GDA’s Syed Ghous Ali Shah secured 28,613 votes — a gap of 117,470 votes.

In NA-109 Jhang 2, PTI-backed Waqas Akram secured 176,586 votes and PML-N’s Muhammad Yaqub Sheikh bagged 61,787 votes — the former won with a margin of 114,799 votes.

In NA-199 Ghotki 2, PPP’s Ali Gohar Khan Mahar got 154,832 votes and JUI-F’s Abdul Qayum 40,204 votes, trailing by 114,628 votes.

In NA-225 Thatta, PPP’s Sadiq Ali Memon bagged 140,773 votes and PML-N’s Rasool Bux Jakhro managed to gain 28,899 — a difference of 111,874 votes.

Data from NA-218 Hyderabad 1 shows that PPP’s Syed Hussain Tariq secured 108,597 votes, while independent candidate Muhammad Rizwan pocketed 7,942 — a difference of 100,655 votes.

In NA-194 Larkana 1, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari emerged victorious with 135,112 votes, while JUI-F top leader Rashid Mahmood Soomro bagged 35,311 votes — a difference of 99,801 votes.

In NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad 1, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari won after securing 146,989 votes and PTI-backed Sardar Sher Muhammad Rind Baloch managed to secure only 51,916 votes. Zardari won by 95,073 votes.

From NA-149 Multan 2, PTI-backed Malik Mohammad Amir Dogar won by securing 143,613 votes and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party’s (IPP) chief Jahangir Khan Tareen came second with 50,166 votes. Dogar won by a huge margin of 93,447 votes.

In NA-18 Haripur, PTI-backed Omar Ayub Khan bagged 192,948 votes and PML-N’s Babar Nawaz Khan secured 112,389 votes, a difference of 80,559 between the two candidates.

In NA-10 Buner, PTI-backed independent candidate Gohar Ali Khan managed to bag 110,023 votes and Awami National Party’s (ANP) Abdur Rauf secured 30,302 votes, with a difference of 79,721 between the two candidate’s total tally.

From NA-130 Lahore 14, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif won after managing to bag 179,310 votes, leaving behind PTI-backed Dr Yasmeen Rashid, who secured 104,485 votes. Nawaz won by a margin of 74,825 votes.

In NA-28 Peshawar 1, JUI-F’s Noor Alam Khan secured 138,389 votes, while PTI-backed Sajid Nawaz got 65,119 votes. Noor won by 73,270 votes.

Slim margins

Former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was contesting on PPP’s ticket from NA-148 Multan 1, won by securing 67,326, with his opponent, PTI-backed Taimur Altaf Malik, bagging 67,033 votes — a meagre difference of 293 votes.

In NA-231 Malir 3, PPP’s Abdul Hakim Baloch won by securing 43,634 votes, beating PTI-backed Khalid Mehmood Ali, who secured 43,245 votes, by a margin of 389 votes.

From NA-264 Quetta 3, PPP’s Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani won after securing 10,678 votes, while Balochistan National Party’s (BNP) Mohammad Akhtar Mengal bagged 9,929 votes, allowing Raisani to win with a margin of 749 votes.

In NA-252 Musa Khail-cum-Barkhan-cum-Loralai-cum-Dukki, PML-N’s Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasar won with 53,783 votes and PTI-backed Sardar Babar Khan secured 52,992 votes — a difference of 791 votes.

From the NA-43 Tank-cum-Dera Ismail Khan constituency, PTI-backed Dawar Khan Kundi won by 63,556 votes, while JUI-F’s Asad Mahmood bagged 62,730, allowing Kundi to win by 826 votes.

In NA-184 Dera Gazi Khan 1, PML-N’s Abdul Qadir Khan Khosa won by securing 110,999 votes and defeated PTI-backed Ali Muhammad, who secured 109,796 votes, by a margin of 1,203 votes.

From NA-261 Surab-cum-Kalat-cum-Mastung, BNP’s Mohammad Akhtar Mengal won after securing 27,331 votes and JUI-F’s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari lost after only managing to get 25,688 votes. Mengal won by 1,643 votes.

In NA-241 Karachi South 3, PPP’s Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig won with 52,456 votes and PTI-backed Khurram Sher Zaman lost as he secured 48,610 votes, allowing Baig a victory with a margin of 3,846 votes.

In NA-118 Lahore 2, PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz Sharif secured 105,960 votes, while PTI-backed Aliya Hamza Malik lost after bagging 100,803 — a difference of 5,157 votes.

Khawaja Burhan Uddin and Afreen Mirza are Geo.tv staffers. Uddin posts on X @khawajaburhan6 and Mirza posts @afreenmirza97

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