ISLAMABAD: The proportion of women voters dropped in 171 of the 272 National Assembly constituencies in last year’s general elections, compared to the 2008 polls.

Included in such constituencies 124 are in Punjab. Of the 61 NA constituencies in Sindh, the proportion of women voters declined in 22 and in 13 of the 14 constituencies in Balochistan. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the ratio dropped in seven of the 35 constituencies and in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in five of the 12 constituencies.

According to the figures available with Dawn, the proportion of female voters in NA-262 (Kila Saifullah) in Balochistan declined from 49.7 per cent in 2008 to 36.5pc in 2013 and in NA-267 (Bolan-cum-Jhal Magsi) from 48.6pc to 40pc.

In NA-261 (Pishin-cum-Ziarat), NA-272 (Kech-cum-Gwadar) and NA-271 (Kharan-cum-Washuk-cum-Panjgur), the ratio was 50.3, 51.8 and 50.4pc in 2008, which dropped to 44.5, 46 and 45.6pc in 2013.

In NA-211 and 212 (Nau­shero Feroze) in Sindh, the proportion was 52.3pc and 51.9pc in 2008, which dropped to 45.4pc and 45.8pc in 2013.

In NA-100 (Gujranwala) in Punjab, the proportion of women voters declined from 45.9pc in 2008 to 36.4pc in 2013; in NA-116 (Narowal), from 45.3pc to 40.6pc; in NA-114 (Sialkot), from 45.4pc to 40.7pc; in NA-147 (Okara), from 47.3pc to 43.1pc; in NA-90 (Jhang), from 45.4pc to 41.4pc; in NA-191 (Bahawalnagar), from 45.6pc to 41.7pc; in NA-112 (Sialkot), from 44.8pc to 41pc; and in NA-194 (Rahimyar Khan, from 46.3pc to 42.6pc.

In NA-40 (North Waziristan), the proportion declined from 14.6pc in 2008 to 7.3pc in 2013.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2014