Against bitter history of election-rigging, Pakistan’s latest polls marred by manipulation claims 

Special Against bitter history of election-rigging, Pakistan’s latest polls marred by manipulation claims 
Members of the polling staff set up a polling station for the Feb. 8 parliamentary elections, in Karachi on February 7, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 08 February 2024
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Against bitter history of election-rigging, Pakistan’s latest polls marred by manipulation claims 

Against bitter history of election-rigging, Pakistan’s latest polls marred by manipulation claims 
  • Independent observers and politicians say most elections in the country have been tainted to some degree over the decades
  • Military denies it is against any particular party and caretaker government overseeing elections says it has no favorites for Feb. 8 polls

ISLAMABAD: A former prime minister and arguably the country’s most popular politician is behind bars. His party says it is facing a state-backed crackdown. Multiple electoral nominees backed by him have seen their candidatures rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan. And another political big-wig, previously imprisoned and until recently in exile, has returned to political activities in the country with what is widely believed to be the backing of the all-powerful military. 
This is the background against which millions of Pakistanis are going out to vote today, Thursday: amid accusations of a widespread military-backed and state-sanctioned crackdown on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been in jail since August over a raft of charges, including corruption. Hundreds of his supporters, party members and key aides are under arrest or have gone underground or deserted their leader. 
The military, which has for decades held sway over Pakistan’s politics, denies the charges and the caretaker government overseeing the elections says it has no favorites. 
But rigging allegations are nothing new in Pakistan where independent observers and political leaders say most elections have been tainted to some degree across the decades. 
Pakistan, which gained independence from Britain in 1947, held its first general elections on Dec. 2, 1970 with East Pakistani leader Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman’s Awami Muslim League (AML) party emerging as the winner. However, military ruler and President Yahya Khan and Sheikh’s main rival Zulfikar Ali Bhutto did not want a party from East Pakistan in the federal government, leading to a delay in the inauguration of the National Assembly. Unrest followed and deteriorated into a civil war that led to the secession of the east wing of the country and the creation of the independent state of Bangladesh in March 1971.
Since then, the results of almost all elections in present-day Pakistan have been questioned by political leaders, while no political party has ever been able to secure two consecutive terms, nor has a prime minister completed a full five-year term in office.
HISTORY OF RIGGING ALLEGATIONS
Pakistan’s second general election in 1977 is believed to have been rigged by Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party while the next one in 1985 was organized under the military rule of Gen Zia-ul-Haq on a nonpartisan basis, with most of the elected MNAs being supporters of the army regime. General elections in 1988 once again came with allegations of rigging against the PPP and Bhutto’s daughter Benazir Bhutto became the first woman elected to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country.
General elections in October 1990, a contest between the People’s Democratic Alliance led by the PPP against the conservative nine-party Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) alliance headed by Nawaz Sharif, ended with a surprise victory for the IJI. The Supreme Court of Pakistan would later rule that two army generals — Mirza Aslam Baig and Asad Durrani — along with President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, had provided financial assistance to favored parties, thereby manipulating the vote to deliberately weaken the mandate of the Pakistan Peoples Party. 
Shairif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party says the 1993 election, which saw the PPP emerge victorious and began a second prime ministerial term for Benazir, was rigged in favor of the PPP. A few years later, Benazir alleged that election officials had rigged the 1997 election, in which the PML-N won a landslide victory. The 2002 elections were held under the military rule of General Pervez Musharraf, with several restrictions imposed on the PPP and PML-N parties and both Benazir and Sharif in exile.
The 2008 elections, won by the the PPP, took place against the background of several attacks targeting leftist politicians and political rallies, while Khan and his PTI decried rigging of the 2013 polls and in 2014 organized a nearly four-month long sit-in in the Pakistani capital against what they called the illegal government of the PML-N.
Finally, the last election, in 2018, was marked by widespread allegations of rigging by the military to tilt the vote in favor of Khan, who would be sworn in as prime minister and rule until 2022. The military has denied it interfered in the vote. 
METHODS OF RIGGING
In Pakistan, according to political analyst Ahmed Ejaz, three methods of rigging have been adopted: pre-poll, as well as manipulation on polling day and after voting. Pre-poll rigging, he argued, had been the “most effective method” and would most likely affect the results of the upcoming elections also. 
“The establishment has been [pre]rigging the elections in various ways to make their favored party successful,” he said. 
Methods include allegations of corruption against rivals, forcing candidates to switch parties, creating artificial political alliances, spreading negative propaganda and creating the narrative of good and bad political leaders.
“These rigging methods are used before elections … to bring its favorite political parties to power,” Ejaz added. 
Tahir Malik, an assistant professor of International Politics at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), attributed the recurring problem of election irregularities to a lack of consensus among stake-holders including civilian politicians, the absence of an independent election commission, and the model of “political exclusion” in which the military establishment created favorable conditions for its favored candidates and parties. 
“That exclusion takes place through the law as well as the process, for instance the [university] graduation condition [for candidates] was introduced [by Musharraf ahead of 2002 elections] and then there were disqualifications [of politicians by the election commission or the courts],” he said.
Election riggings, or accusations of it, overshadow Pakistan’s next election also.
Sarwar Bari, National Coordinator at the not-for profit Pattan Development Organization, said the 2024 election was peculiar in a number of ways and one was the “very transparent” nature of the manipulation and intimidation, referring to the crackdown against the PTI and dozens of legal cases against Khan and three jail sentences of three, ten and fourteen years each in three separate cases. 
“In the past, it used to be very subtle,” he told Arab News. “But this is unprecedented, at this level, so intense and widespread rigging, Pakistan’s establishment has broken its record.”
He cited the example of the election regulator’s move to strip Khan’s PTI of its unifying election symbol of the bat, which not only forced hundreds of its candidates to contest polls as independents each with their own symbol, but will also deprive the party of reserved seats for women and minorities, which are allocated on the basis of the number of general seats won by a party in an election. 
In Pakistan, election symbols appear on ballot papers, with voters able to put a stamp on their symbol of choice. The ballot paper also has names, but over 40 percent of Pakistan’s 241 million population are illiterate, making the pictures extra important for recognition.
With so many different symbols for PTI-backed independent candidates, Bari said, a large number of people, especially women and rural constituents, would not be able to correctly identify their favorite candidate on the ballot paper. Furthermore, he added, what did it say about the fairness of the election when hundreds of PTI candidates were forced underground at the time of the submission of nomination papers in December and as the party’s top leadership remained behind bars, facing hundreds of cases.
“I have been saying that this election is neither free nor fair,” Bari added, “but it is an absolutely transparent election because whatever is happening is happening in the clear light of day.”
RADICAL REFORM
But what is the solution to election manipulation? 
Under Pakistan’s electoral system, people elect a bicameral legislature, with the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, directly elected by the masses, while members of the upper house, the Senate, are chosen by elected provincial legislators.
“I think there is one way of minimizing corrupt practices and that is switching to a proportional representation (PR) system, instead of having this system which Pakistan has,” Pattan’s Bari said, referring to an electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body and all votes cast contribute to the result. 
The system produces a mixed, balanced representation, its proponents say. 
“So, you can introduce the PR system which will eliminate the attraction or incentives to constituency-based politicians to rig elections and that system can also deter to some extent the establishment from interfering because it will become difficult.”
Bari said under the current system, a party could win an election just by one vote.
“In the PR system you can’t win an election by one vote, or by 10 votes or by 200 votes, you can have more seats and the seats will be proportionately distributed according to the popular vote,” Bari explained.
In the last elections in 2018, he said, 48 National Assembly members were elected with less 5,000 votes
“So, 48 is a big number out of 272 [directly contested seats in National Assembly],” he said. “The PR system in my view is likely to eliminate at least a dozen means of rigging and this will also de-incentivize the control of electables because then the seats will be divided in each district according to the proportional votes each party gets.”
Ejaz the analyst recommended reducing the number of constituencies so that candidates had to campaign in entire districts, which would help break their hegemony on the basis of caste and communities that dominate constituencies.
Malik from (NUML) said “independent” institutions were the key to resolving the permanent pattern of rigging and manipulation:
“To ensure free and fair elections, we need independent institutions, an independent election commission, independent judiciary, vibrant media, rule of law, and genuine political parties,” he said, “who will not strike deals with power corridors.”


Pakistan, China agree to strengthen defense ties amid regional challenges

Pakistan, China agree to strengthen defense ties amid regional challenges
Updated 13 sec ago
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Pakistan, China agree to strengthen defense ties amid regional challenges

Pakistan, China agree to strengthen defense ties amid regional challenges
  • General Asim Munir hosts vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission at the GHQ
  • Chinese general praises Pakistan’s commitment to ties with Beijing, counter-terrorism efforts

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Wednesday agreed to enhance bilateral defense cooperation, with both sides emphasizing the strategic importance of their partnership during high-level discussions at the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, led a delegation to meet Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Syed Asim Munir. The visit included a one-on-one meeting between the two generals, followed by delegation-level talks.
"The engagements focused on matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, measures for regional stability, and enhancing bilateral defense cooperation," the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.
"General Asim Munir underscored the enduring and all-weather nature of Pakistan-China relations, emphasizing their foundation of mutual trust and cooperation," the statement added, noting that the army chief thanked the Chinese leadership for standing firmly with Pakistan, irrespective of changes in the international and regional environment.
The ISPR also quoted the Chinese general praising Pakistan’s commitment to the strategic partnership, commending the army’s professionalism and resolve in counter-terrorism efforts. He reiterated China’s determination to strengthen defense ties and deepen collaboration for regional stability.
China already plays a pivotal role in Pakistan’s economic and strategic framework, primarily through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, Chinese authorities have expressed concerns over attacks on their nationals working on various CPEC projects by militant groups of differing ideologies.
Earlier, General Zhang paid tribute to Pakistan’s fallen soldiers by laying a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Monument upon his arrival at GHQ. He was accorded a ceremonial guard of honor by a contingent of the Pakistan Army.


inflation seen slowing to 5.8 percent-6.8 percent in November, ministry says

inflation seen slowing to 5.8 percent-6.8 percent in November, ministry says
Updated 23 min 14 sec ago
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inflation seen slowing to 5.8 percent-6.8 percent in November, ministry says

inflation seen slowing to 5.8 percent-6.8 percent in November, ministry says
  • Inflation may further slow to 5.6 percent-6.5 percent in December, says ministry
  • Pakistan slashed interest rates by 250 basis points earlier in November

KARACHI: Inflation in Pakistan is expected to slow to 5.8 percent-6.8 percent in November, and then further to 5.6 percent-6.5 percent in December, the finance ministry said in its monthly economic report on Wednesday.

The South Asian country slashed interest rates by 250 basis points earlier in November in a bid to revive a sluggish economy amid a big drop in the rate of inflation.

Inflation clocked in at 7.2 percent in October, a sharp drop from a multi-decade high of nearly 40 percent in May 2023.


Why is Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan in jail?

Why is Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan in jail?
Updated 28 min 7 sec ago
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Why is Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan in jail?

Why is Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan in jail?
  • Khan first arrested in May 2023 over allegations he received a land bribe through a trust created when he was in office 
  • Khan, now in jail since August 2023, also faces charges of terrorism and is accused of revealing state secrets 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s capital Islamabad was gripped by violence on Tuesday as protesters demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan clashed with security forces near the parliament.

Here is a look at some of the allegations against the 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician — named in dozens of cases since he left office in 2022 — that have kept him behind bars for more than a year.

GRAFT ALLEGATIONS

Khan was first arrested in May 2023 in relation to allegations that his wife, Bushra Bibi, and he received land worth up to 7 billion rupees ($25 million) as a bribe through a trust created in 2018, while he still held office.
His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has maintained the land was donated for charitable purposes.
Khan was released on bail after three days in prison, during which his supporters attacked and set fire to military and other state installations, with eight people killed in the violence.

ABETTING VIOLENCE

Khan is facing anti-terrorism charges in connection with the violence that followed his arrest in May last year, and in relation to which several of his supporters have already been sentenced.
PTI said in July that authorities had issued fresh arrest warrants for him in three different cases related to the clashes.

STATE SECRETS

Khan was accused of making public a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington in 2022, while he still held office.
He was acquitted in the case in June.

UNLAWFUL MARRIAGE

Khan and his wife were accused of breaking Islamic law by failing to observe the mandated waiting period between Bibi’s divorce from her previous husband and their marriage in 2018 .
 


1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march

1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march
Updated 42 min 36 sec ago
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1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march

1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march
  • More than 10,000 protesters surged into Islamabad on weekend, defying a ban on public gatherings
  • Government has called the protests “extremism,” vowing no mercy for the oncoming marchers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan police said Wednesday they had arrested nearly 1,000 protesters who marched on the capital demanding the release of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, after crowds were evicted from the city center in a sweeping security crackdown.

Khan has been jailed since August 2023, sidelined by dozens of legal cases he claims were confected to prevent his comeback in elections this year marred by rigging allegations.

Since the February vote, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has defied a government crackdown with regular rallies, but Tuesday’s gathering was by far the largest to grip the capital since the poll.

More than 10,000 protesters surged into the city on the weekend, defying a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown to skirmish with 20,000 security forces enlisted to turn them back.

The government said at least one police officer was slain in unrest on Monday, while four state paramilitary personnel were also reported killed when protesters ran them over in a vehicle on Tuesday.

The crowds aimed to occupy a public square outside parliament and the prime minister’s house.

Overnight, security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters wielding sticks and slingshots, as roadblocks were set ablaze.

By early Wednesday, AFP staff saw the main thoroughfare toward Islamabad’s government enclave cleared of crowds, and security forces in riot gear being bussed away from the area.

Islamabad Police Inspector General Ali Nasir Rizvi said 954 protesters had been arrested between Sunday and Tuesday, when the crowds came within one mile (1.6 kilometers) of the government enclave.

“610 of those arrests were made only on Tuesday alone,” he said.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement that security forces had “bravely repulsed the protesters.”

Khan had issued a call from his cell outside Islamabad on Tuesday evening, telling more people to join the crowds.

“All Pakistanis participating in the protest must remain peaceful, stay united, and stand firm until our demands are met,” he said in a social media statement released by his party, who often meet him in jail.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the protests “extremism.” Since Sunday, his ministers held regular press conferences in central Islamabad vowing no mercy for the oncoming marchers.

But as they retreated from the capital, there were growing calls for reconciliation to prevent future flare-ups impacting regular citizens in the country of 240 million.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in a statement that Khan and Sharif’s parties should “immediately enter a purposeful political dialogue.”

“It is high time that they agree on a peaceful way forward instead of whipping up the emotions of their respective political workers and bringing the country to a standstill,” the organization said.

Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute director at The Wilson Center, said on social media platform X that “Pakistan’s protests had no winners.”

Anger toward the establishment has increased over the crackdown, he said, while at the same time, PTI was forced to retreat.

“Pakistan on the whole is burdened by a worsening confrontation,” he said.

Khan, a charismatic 72-year-old former cricket star, served as premier from 2018 to 2022 and is the lodestar of PTI.

But in his absence, the protests were led partially by his wife, Bushra Bibi, who was also jailed this year but released last month.

Sharif’s government has come under increasing criticism for deploying heavy-handed measures to quash PTI rallies.

Mobile Internet was cut across Islamabad, schools shut on Monday remained closed on Wednesday, and roadblocks prevented thousands of workers from reaching their jobs.

Amnesty International said that “as protesters enter the capital, law enforcement officials have used unlawful and excessive force.”

Khan was ousted by a no-confidence vote after falling out with the kingmaking military establishment, which analysts say engineers the rise and fall of Pakistan’s politicians.

But as opposition leader, he led an unprecedented campaign of defiance, with street protests boiling over into unrest that the government cited as the reason for its crackdown.

PTI won more seats than any other party in this year’s election, but a coalition of parties considered more pliable to military influence shut them out of power.


Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31

Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31
Updated 50 min 52 sec ago
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Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31

Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31
  • Interior minister says Afghans who want to reside in capital after Dec. 31 need no-objection certificate from deputy commissioner
  • Nearly 800,000 Afghan nationals that Islamabad says were residing in the country ‘illegally’ expelled since November last year

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday no Afghan citizens would be allowed to live in Pakistan’s federal capital of Islamabad after Dec. 31 unless they were issued a special certificate by the district administration.

The move is the latest blow to Afghans living in Pakistan, with nearly 800,000 that Islamabad says were residing in the country ‘illegally’ expelled since November last year when the government launched a deportation drive that has drawn widespread criticism from international governments and rights organizations.

Authorities began expelling illegal foreigners from Nov. 1, 2023, following a spike in bombings which the Pakistan government says were carried out by Afghan nationals or by militants who cross over into Pakistan from neighboring Afghanistan. Islamabad has also blamed illegal Afghan immigrants and refugees for involvement in smuggling and other crimes. The Taliban government in Kabul says Pakistan’s security and other challenges are a domestic issue and cannot be blamed on the neighbor. 

Now, Pakistan is also accusing Afghan nationals of taking part in anti-government protests led by the party of jailed former premier Imran Khan. The Islamabad police chief said in a press conference on Wednesday that at least 19 Afghans were among over 900 rioters arrested during the latest protests in Islamabad that ended on Tuesday evening.

“If they [Afghans] want to live here, they need a NOC [no-objection certificate] from the deputy commissioner’s office,” Interior Ministry Mohsin Naqvi told reporters, “but after Dec. 31, no Afghan citizen can live in Islamabad without an NOC.”

Until the government initiated the expulsion drive last year, Pakistan was home to over four million Afghan migrants and refugees out of which around 1.7 million were undocumented. 

Afghans make up the largest portion of migrants, many of whom came after the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021, but a large number have been present since the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Islamabad insists the deportation drive is not aimed at any particular nationality but all ‘illegal aliens’ but the drive has disproportionately hit Afghans.