Peshawar’s voter registration rate stands at 45% of its estimated 2025 population — nine percentage points below the national ratio of 54%.

Methodology

These figures are drawn from district-wise electoral roll statistics released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on 30 December 2025. They are cross-referenced against population estimates derived from the 2023 Digital Census. The 2025 population estimate applies the 1.58% inter-censal annual growth rate to Peshawar’s census base population of 4,758,762, yielding an estimated 2025 population of 4,910,327. Registration rates are calculated by dividing the number of registered voters by this estimated population.

Voter registration in Peshawar

The district has 2.2 million registered voters — 1.2 million males (54.7%) and 1.0 million females (45.3%). Among males, 49% of the estimated population is registered; among females, 42%. Peshawar ranks 8th out of 136 districts nationally by population size and is represented by five Members of the National Assembly.

By voter registration rate, Peshawar ranks 101st nationally and 32nd of 35 within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Why registration trails the national ratio

Peshawar’s below-average registration rate reflects a pattern common to Pakistan’s major urban centres. Both census enumeration rules apply here: in-migrants residing in Peshawar for more than six months were counted here at census time, not at their origin household.

These individuals remain registered as voters in their origin district on the basis of their permanent CNIC address. This inflates Peshawar’s census-based population denominator without a corresponding increase in the local voter roll, depressing the voter-to-population ratio below the national average.

Female voters constitute 45.3% of the registered electorate. Targeted registration campaigns for women in Peshawar are needed ahead of the next general elections.

This post is part of FAFEN’s series on voter vs population ratio. Read more of this series here.