ISLAMABAD: The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) released its report on Tuesday, shedding light on various irregularities observed during the April 21 elections in 22 national and provincial assembly constituencies.
Despite improvements in results management and reduced ballot exclusions, issues such as low voter turnout, procedural discrepancies, and restrictions on independent observation marred the electoral process, particularly in two provincial constituencies in Punjab.
The report highlighted instances of procedural lapses, including omissions in ballot issuance requirements by Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) at approximately 14% of observed polling stations. Moreover, security officials or presiding officers obstructed Fafen observers from monitoring the election process at 19 polling stations in PP-36 Wazirabad and PP-22 Chakwal-cum-Talangang, while accreditation delays hindered observation in PP-22.
Despite an increase in registered voters, the voter turnout saw a significant decline of 9%, with a mere 36% of registered voters casting their votes. Notably, Lahore’s constituencies witnessed the sharpest decline, with PP-147 recording a turnout of only 14%, compared to 35% in the previous general elections.
However, there was a reduction in the number of ballots excluded from the count, almost halved compared to the general elections. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) managed to issue provisional results for all constituencies by the legal deadline, despite cellular data service suspensions in certain areas.
In terms of electoral outcomes, most winning parties retained their seats from the general elections, except in PP-36 Wazirabad and PP-93 Bhakkar, where PML-N candidates emerged victorious in the by-elections. These two constituencies witnessed a decrease in the margin of victory, unlike others where the margin increased.
The by-polls were necessitated due to candidate deaths in four constituencies and seat vacancies in 19 others. Notably, PB-50 Killa Abdullah saw a re-poll following a Supreme Court verdict.
Fafen’s comprehensive observation, involving 259 election day observers across 1,036 polling stations, provided valuable insights into the electoral process, highlighting areas for improvement to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections in Pakistan.