ISLAMABAD - Ahead of the July 25 election, a comparison of the population in different constituencies of the Lower House of the Parliament points out discrepancies as many constituencies have more than 1 million population while others have only around 0.35 million population.
If this huge number of population difference between the constituencies would be translated in parliamentary terms, it means that in some constituencies, a member of the National Assembly (MNA) will represent more than 1 million people in the Lower House of the Parliament. And in some other constituencies, an MNA will represent around 0.35 million people.
In the 2018 General Elections, the biggest population of a National Assembly constituency is 11,67,000 and that is NA-35 (Bannu). And the smallest NA constituency is NA-262, the area that comprised of districts Jhal Magsi and Kachhi of Balochistan, whose population is 346,000. A total difference of more than 0.8 million people in two constituencies raises a number of questions on the right of the people to choose their elected representatives and the right of the representatives to represent their constituencies.
In the light of the 2017 Census and 2018’s fresh delimitation of constituencies made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP); out of total 272 constituencies of National Assembly, 141 NA constituencies fall in Punjab, 61 in Sindh, 39 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16 in Balochistan and 12 NA constituencies are of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Under the fresh delimitations, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has 3 constituencies of National Assembly.
According to the official figures of the ECP, the population-wise biggest constituency of National Assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is NA-35 (Bannu) whose total population is 11, 67000. Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA)’s candidate Akram Durrani are major contestants from NA-35. Similarly, the smallest constituency in KP is NA-37 (Tank) whose population is 3,91000. PTI’s Habibullah Khan Kundi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s Sameeullah Barki and MMA’s Asad Mahmood are the major candidates in this constituency. So the maximum difference of population between these NA two constituencies of KP is more than 7, 50000.
In Punjab, the biggest constituency of National Assembly with regard to population size is NA-87 (Hafiz Abad) whose population is more than 11, 56000. PTI’s Chaudhry Shaukat Bhatti, and PML-N’s Ms Siara Afzal Tarar are contesting from this constituency. While the smallest constituency in Punjab is NA-67 (Jehlum) whose population is 5, 46000. PTI Secretary Information Fawad Chaudhry and PML-N candidate Raja Matloob Mehdi are major contestants from NA-67. The maximum number of difference of people between the two NA constituencies of Punjab is more than 0.6 million.
In Sindh province, the biggest population wise constituency of the National Assembly is NA-197 (Kashmore) whose total population is 10, 89000 while its smallest constituency is NA-199 (Shikarpur) whose total population is 5, 88000. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Ihsan Mazari and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA)’s candidate Abdul Ghani Bajarani are contesting from Kashmore. And PPP’s Zulfiqar Ali Kamarieu and GDA’s Ghous Bukhsh Mehr are contestants from Shikarpur. So the maximum difference of population between two NA constituencies of Sindh is around 0.5 million.
Balochistan is the smallest province of the country with regard to population who has only 16 seats of National Assembly. The biggest NA constituency of the province with regard to population is NA- 268 that compromises of areas including Mastung, Chagai, Kalat, Qalandar Abad and Nushkee. NA-268’s total population is 10, 83000. PPP’s Sardar Umar Gorgaje, PTI’s Sardar Aurengzeb, PML-N’s Abdul Qadir, National Party’ Ghulam Farooq and Balochistan National Party (BNP)’s Muhammad Hashim are major contestants from this constituency.
Similarly, the smallest NA constituency in the Balochistan is NA-262 that comprised of areas of districts Jhal Magsi and Kachhi. Its total population is 3, 46000 and this is also the smallest constituency of the country. BNP’s Gohar Kakar, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP)’s Esa Khadim and PPP’s Qayyum Kakit are major contests in this constituency. The maximum difference of population between two NA constituencies of Balochistan is 7,37.000.
Population discrepancies pointed out in constituencies