Quetta’s voter registration rate stands at 34% of its estimated 2025 population — 20 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 2.27% inter-censal annual growth rate to Quetta’s census base population of 2,595,492, yielding an estimated 2025 population of 2,714,665. Registration rates are calculated by dividing the number of registered voters by this estimated population.

Voter registration in Quetta

The district has 914,261 registered voters — 519,533 males (56.8%) and 394,728 females (43.2%). Among males, 38% of the estimated population is registered; among females, 30%. Quetta ranks 28th out of 136 districts nationally by population size and is represented by three Members of the National Assembly.

By voter registration rate, Quetta ranks 123rd nationally and 24th of 34 within Balochistan.

Why registration trails the national ratio

Quetta’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 Quetta 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 Quetta’s census-based population denominator without a corresponding increase in the local voter roll, depressing the voter-to-population ratio below the national average.

A significant gender gap compounds this structural deficit: female voters account for only 43.2% of the registered electorate — 124,805 fewer than male voters. Women’s registration stands at 30% of the estimated female population, against a male rate of 38%. This suggests genuine non-registration of women alongside the in-migration enumeration effect. Targeted registration campaigns for women in Quetta 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.