Engaging the Next Generation: Political Awareness and Voting Preferences in Pakistan Election 2024

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Muhammad Shoaib
Muhammad Qasim
Usman Shamim Siddiqui
Sami Ullah
Muhammad Noman Yaseen

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between students' awareness of the political context in Pakistan and their voting preferences in the 2024 elections, while also exploring the moderating role of gender.Data were collected through a survey of 306 social sciences’ students who voted first time in 2024 elections from Khawaja Fareed University, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, and Bahauddin Zakaria University in South Punjab. The questionnaire assessed political awareness and voting preferences, with hypotheses tested using structured regression analysis. The findings of the study revealed that political awareness has positive influence on voting preference. Moreover, gender play a moderating role on the relationship of political awareness and voting preference. The study suggests future research should investigate mediating factors, such as socio-economic background, and additional moderating variables to deepen the understanding of this relationship. Practical implications highlight the need for policymakers and educational institutions to enhance political awareness among students, which is crucial for fostering civic engagement. This research contributes to the understanding of political behavior among youth in Pakistan and emphasizes the importance of awareness in shaping electoral outcomes.

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How to Cite
[1]
Shoaib, M. , Qasim, M. , Siddiqui, U.S. , Ullah, S. and Yaseen, M.N. 2024. Engaging the Next Generation: Political Awareness and Voting Preferences in Pakistan Election 2024. Journal of Policy Research. 10, 3 (Sep. 2024), 419–427. DOI:https://doi.org/10.61506/02.00360.

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