ISLAMABAD:
Months of campaigning by political parties and independent groups, asking the youth to register their votes for the upcoming elections, appears to have been a step in the right direction.
For the first time, Pakistan’s much-touted ‘youth bulge’ has manifested itself on the country’s electoral rolls. According to data released by the Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday, almost half the registered voters, or 47.5% of 84.3 million, are under the age of 35.
Earlier estimates had placed the percentage of youth amongst registered voters at around 35%.
The percentage, however, is more significant when one considers that the total turnout in previous elections varied between 32 and 36 per cent. The millions of youth who have registered their vote for the first time, therefore, are likely to play a significant role in the overall results of the next elections. The push by most mainstream parties to engage and invest more in campaigns and politicking on the youth-heavy social media seems to not be without reason.
Age-wise break up
An age-wise break up of the 2012 electoral rolls shows there are now 16.2 million registered voters between the age of 18 and 25 years. Of them, some 1.5 million turned 18 between January and June this year.
According to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), on average, 12,000 to 15,000 new computerised national identity cards (CNIC) are issued daily, majority of them to those who have turned 18 recently. The largest chunk of registered voters, 23.8 million, however, lies in the 26 to 35 year age bracket followed by 17 million voters between the age of 36 and 45. Almost 12 million voters lie in the 46 to 55 year age bracket, 8.4 million between the age of 56 and 65 while another 6.7 million are over the age of 65.
Deceased, missing
According to NADRA officials, a total of 92 million CNICs have been issued so far, however the number of registered voters stands at 84.3 million. Those who have not been included were either deceased, or those belonging to the Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, said Chairman NADRA.
However, since NADRA has no mechanism to know the exact number of deceased people, some political parties accuse the authority of keeping millions of deceased people in the voter lists.
A ruling Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker, Sughra Imran, had claimed in the Senate that 15 million votes of deceased persons have been included in the new list, but has been unable to substantiate her claim so far.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 5th, 2012.
COMMENTS (14)
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Vote or repent.
Registered Vote, aged 23 and with PTI
20 & with PTI :)
Thats even Better MASHALLAH...i am 20 and i am insafiyan Alhamdullilah
In any other democratic system, pre election time is reserved for debating the manifestos of political parties based on the problem faced by that country. Here in Pakistan people vote their parties either because their father used to vote that party or only because they are from right left or moderates. No one is bothered to ask (1) How will PTI, PPP, ANP, MQM, PML et al handle our over population that is a source of corruption (as tried by Ms Bhutto in "bachay do hi achay" type adverts), poverty and illiteracy, and putting burden on healthcare system, causing an anarchy in the society, or if any of them are interested in (2) repatriation of millions of refugees that are burden on our weak infrastructure, (3) How and What will they do regarding chronic power shortages or (4) implementing single education curriculum in the country or (5) If they have any plan for closing Western border while integrating FATA & PATA etc. If any of these political parties are sincere in solving our problems they will come up with solution to these real problems and will follow up its progress every year where PM can give show us progress on it in annual speeches. All of these current politicians are self serving only and that also includes Imran Khan as none of them came to rescue an elected prime minister who was sent home by a Judge who had no mandate to send home a person who was voted by the people of Pakistan. Regardless of how much incompetent or corrupt an elected government is, No one except the voters has a right to send them home and do accountability via election.
90% youth with pti.
that's a welcome change.
while the old go on voting the persons of their caste, biradari. it's the youth which is capable of really effecting any change in the nation, because they are the one who break the old barriers by taking risk and electing candidates who promise job and economic prosperity, instead of those who promise JANNAT, and then make you live the most hellish life on earth.
imran khan knows about this that is why he seems so confident... he knows majority chunk of youth supports him
Where are all the analysts who discount PTI making it big in the next elections?
Im sure Imran Khan would be smiling seeing this
I am sure it is good news for PTI as it has garnered youth support and affiliations more than any party. Youth should vote as their future depends on these decision more than any other age group.
PTI :D and i am 25 years old
whether you call it trolls, cyber kids, facebook kids, burger kids or internet jihadis, the youth have done it. The revolution is near and Insaf will rule soon insha Allah.