Voter gender gap narrows slightly but disparities persist

ISLAMABAD: According to the latest voter data, Pakistan has seen a slight reduction in the gender gap among registered voters over the past two years.

As of now, male voters stand at 71,654,092 (53.71pc), while female voters have reached 61,763,413 (46.29pc).

Comparatively, in April 2023, male voters accounted for 67,893,875 (54pc), whereas female voters were 57,732,575 (46pc). The total number of registered voters across the country now stands at 133,417,505, as per the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) database.

Among Pakistan’s 144 districts, including the Islamabad Capital Territory, Chakwal leads in gender parity, with a minimal difference in male and female voter registration. Talagang follows closely behind.

Chakwal: Male voters: 398,530 (50.45pc), Female voters: 391,711 (49.57pc), Total voters: 790,241; Gender gap: 6,819 voters.

Talagang: Male voters: 222,881 (50.87pc), Female voters: 215,261 (49.13pc), Total voters: 438,142; Gender gap: 7,620 voters.

Despite overall improvement, several districts continue to show a significant gender disparity, particularly in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh.

Chaman (Balochistan): Total voters: 199,593, Males: 129,211 (64.74pc), Females: 70,382 (35.26pc).

South Waziristan Lower (KP): Total voters: 185,782, Males: 119,942 (64.56pc), Females: 65,840 (35.44pc).

Keamari (Sindh): Total voters: 925,821, Males: 534,997 (57.79pc), Females: 390,824 (42.21pc). The provincial breakdown of registered voters is as follows:

Punjab: 76,010,349 voters; Males: 40,467,887 (53.24pc), Females: 35,542,462 (46.76pc).

Sindh: 27,981,501 voters; Males: 15,118,228 (54.03pc), Females: 12,863,273 (45.97pc).

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 22,675,553 voters; Males: 12,330,460 (54.38pc), Females: 10,345,093 (45.62pc).

Balochistan: 5,566,441 voters; Males: 3,117,944 (56.1pc), Females: 2,448,497 (43.99pc).

Islamabad Capital Territory: 1,183,661 voters; Males: 619,573 (52.34pc), Females: 564,088 (47.66pc).

Despite improvements in voter registration, a notable gender gap persists in several regions, highlighting the need for continued efforts to ensure equal electoral participation for women.