Factors Affecting Voting Behavior: A Case Study of the Consecutive Success of Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa General Elections

Abstract

Current paper is an analytical investigation into the elements that led to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf winning the 2018 general elections in Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This study is significant because the consecutive success of PTI is termed as landmark development in history of KP. Researcher adopted positivism as research philosophy, quantitative methodology as the research paradigm, statistical approach was employed and survey method as research design was used. The study was delimited to the voters of Dera Ismail Khan. The numerical data was tested through appropriate statistical means, after checking the validity and reliability. The results revealed that all the factors had contributed significantly in the consecutive success of PTI. Among these factors (new reforms, political slogans, charismatic leadership, the establishment's role, the youth factor, and anticorruption campaign), new reforms, introduced by the PTI government during 2013-2018 period has contributed more than any other variable. The results showed that almost 88% change can be attributed to these variables. It was concluded that voters of Dera Ismail Khan favored the PTI candidates on basis of the new reforms introduced by them. The study recommended that political parties should work on the reforms in the institutions which has been established for the benefit of people but they are doing opposite. Future researchers can study in other regions of the KP on this particular issue.