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Will elections in Pakistan be free and fair?

This is a million-dollar question, the answer to which is yet to be found.

Elections in Pakistan (A man in black casting mysterious vote in ballet box))
picture taken from canva

Pakistan which is going through a deep economic and political crisis, is all set to have General Election 2024, on February 8 2024. These General Elections which were originally scheduled in November 2023 were delayed due to ECP demanding some extra time and funds to conduct elections. Nearly all political parties are allowed to do their political campaigns in their respective constituencies except one, which is Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is Pakistan’s leading political party that rules over billions of Pakistanis hearts, is barred to contest in general elections 2024 in numerous ways. Speculators and many renowned analysts believe that “It’s the armed forces that don’t want Imran Khan back in power due to many reasons one of them chiefly is, he lacks “A YES BOSS”.A renowned analyst Benazir Shah said that

One thing is clear, Khan himself will not be allowed to come back to power by the military — at least in the upcoming polls (Source: Al Jazeera).

Background

This all started with a no confidence motion against Imran Khan followed by a series of events. From April 10 2022 till now, PTI is being barred to contest in upcoming general elections through various ways. Here is a timeline of events that happened from 10 april to 9 may 2023.

Imran khan timeline


Let’s have a look on how Pakistan’s leading political party PTI is being stopped, to contest in general elections 2024.

Numerous Sham Cases

Imran Khan in court proceedings
Picture taken from The Christian Science Monitor article

After a no-confidence motion followed by the so-called cipher issue. Numerous sham cases were lodged against Imran Khan by the state institutions including allegations ranging from corruption to terrorism to riots to inciting public on 9 may incident. All these sham cases were made in order to put Imran khan out of the general elections 2024, which khan believed ‘is the only way forward’ to bring peace and economic stability in Pakistan.

“Since his removal from power in a no-confidence vote in the parliament in April 2022, Khan has been slapped with more than 150 legal cases, including several on charges of corruption, terrorism and inciting people to violence over deadly protests in May”.

“He has appeared in court for numerous cases in both Lahore and Islamabad, and long warned that he would be arrested to prevent him from participating in elections that are due to be held before the end of the year"(Source: Al Jazeera)

"While the Army cites national security concerns to justify these tactics, the systematic dismantling of Imran Khan and his party points towards a broader scheme to crackdown on any threat to the establishment and the ruling alliance" (Source The Christian Science Monitor).

Illegal Arrest

On 9th May 2023 Imran khan was illegally arrested by the military rangers while he was in IHC Islamabad High Court for a case hearing. Subsequently there was a huge internet outrage that continued for 3 days, resulting in billions of loss of Pakistan’s IT Sector.


Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that the arrest of Khan at the Islamabad High Court by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) using paramilitary troops was in violation of the law, and that such actions would have a “chilling effect”. 

Bandial stated: “Your arrest was invalid, and therefore, the entire process needs to be reversed.” He noted: “What dignity remains of the court if 90 people entered its premises? How can any individual be arrested from court premises? (Source: Wikipedia)

On Thursday, the country’s Supreme Court ruled that Khan was illegally arrested and ordered his immediate release. The 70-year-old opposition leader was presented before the High Court in Islamabad on Friday where he has challenged his arrest. (Source: Al Jazeera)

Correspondingly PTI called for a nation-wide peaceful protest. Protestors around the country gathered to demonstrate their protest against the illegal arrest. However, “a certain lot” who wanted violence in Pakistan incited hate among public and encouraged them to destroy state properties

The Aftermath

Brutal Crackdown, Military trials and Forced conversions started against many PTI leaders, Workers, Social workers, Supporters as well as the Protestors, in the guise of 9 May incident. This crackdown was done to overshadow PTI political struggle for a free and fair election.

"Efforts to put Khan behind bars have been stepped up in advance of elections expected later this year. His popularity and large support base, combined with his ability to mobilise massive crowds, pose a threat to the governing coalition and could potentially polarise the electorate" (Source: Al Jazeera)

Excessive abuse, violence, brutal torture was done by the state institutions on public in the guise of 9 may incident. Social media platforms were full of such videos where police raided house at midnight, by climbing over the wall, entering people’s bedroom without any search warrant. Destroying everything in their house. Women and kids weren’t left alone in this. In fact it wouldn’t be wrong to say here that they became their target first. Many PTI Leaders were threaten with the rape consequences to their women, if they wouldn’t leave the party. Some PTI leaders went underground, some left politics due to huge pressure, while others join their rival political parties. However, those who remained true to the party’s cause stood on their ground. Many Journalist who supported Imran Khan’s stance of free and fair elections were harassed too. Some moved out of their country for safety reasons, while some were brutally tortured (Imran Riaz Khan), some were kidnapped for speaking up. One of the prominent journalist, Arshad Sharif was brutally murdered for spilling the beans about the armed forces of Pakistan.

Hammad Azhar, who has served as Pakistan’s finance and energy minister, who is in hiding, says he is under pressure from a “fascist regime” to leave the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf,All this is being done because I continue to stand with my party and Imran Khan, moreover he says police and plain-clothed officials have burst into his home six times in recent weeks, smashed his belongings and threatened his 82-year-old father, warning that his daughter would be abducted. Moreover he said police and “unknown people” took his father to a police station and released him after they went through his phone for an hour. Like other senior members of the PTI who have been arrested in recent weeks, in some cases several times, Hammad Azhar avoided directly naming the powerful army as being responsible (Source: Reuters)

The entire senior leadership is in jail,” Khan said in the interview. “And the only ones who can now get out of jail are the ones who then say that we renounce being part of PTI (Source: Reuters)

Below you will find some of the empirical evidences related to state brutalities against the most popular democratic party PTI.



You can find a complete detailed thread on X previously twitter with regard to all the empirical evidences that serves an eye opener that how PTI is being barred to contest in general elections 2024.

The Final Arrest

"Ex-leader had long warned he would be arrested to prevent him from running in upcoming elections" (Source: Al Jazeera)

Pakistani police stand outside the house of former prime minister Imran Khan after his arrest in Lahore on Saturday. [Arif Ali/AFP]

Imran Khan was finally arrested on Aug 5 2023 at his home, in Lahore(a city of Pakistan), way before the court announced it. People outside his house showed resistance, in order to protect him, but they were badly beaten by the Punjab police. The Police barraged Khan’s house with full force attacking his house helps and breaking into his room. violently.

"Khan, 70, has faced a slew of court cases for charges he has said are politically motivated since being removed from power in a vote of no confidence last year, and he was not present when he was sentenced on Saturday". (Source: Al Jazeera)

"Legal experts say the guilty verdict reached by an Islamabad district court could eliminate Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s greatest rival in a national election expected in November". (Source: Reuters)

Media Censorship

Before this ‘media censorship’ whenever Khan delivered his speech in numerous cities of Pakistan. News broadcasters often put a “censor beep sound” in his live speech's or even cut a specific part of his speech. Upon discovering it was found that Khan named some ISI Officials (who were threatening him) and former army chief who had a direct hand in toppling over his government. However, this temporary censorship didn’t continue further as media houses were directed from the state institutions to stop covering him.

"Journalist Amir Mehmood (a member of the top management at a private news channel) received a call from a powerful military official to stop the coverage of Imran khan rally(specifically mentioning the PTI Flags as well as his party candidates). Moreover it was instructed to show PTI Candidates as an independent candidate’s without mentioning the name of their party". (Source Al Jazeera)

The media houses that covered Imran Khan’s speeches were threaten with dire consequences. Pemra (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) however, later on imposed a blanket ban on coverage of Imran khan.

The Clip from ARY NEWS Pakistan showing blur image of Khan during the IMF bail out package

"In an effort to mould the narrative, and prevent “undesirable” opinions from making it to the airwaves, Pemra (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority)has warned TV channels not to give a platform to “zealots” and “hatemongers”. (Source: DAWN)

This media censorship was done in order to stop Imran khan political campaigns ahead general elections 2024.

"Several journalists say they have been asked to impose near-blanket ban on the political party’s coverage ahead of February 8 elections". (Source: Al Jazeera)

Taking away the bat symbol

To eliminate PTI from contesting in general elections 2024, another dirty game was played. PTI was directed to hold intra-party elections no later than 13 June 2022 and were told that ‘no further extension will be granted. PTI conducted an intra-party elections on June 8 2022, and unanimously declared barrister Gohar Ali Khan as their party’s chairperson. However, ECP was not satisfied with PTI intra-party election and termed it as un-fair election.

"PTI had ‘failed to hold transparent, just and fair intra party elections (Statement by the Election Commission of Pakistan)"

ECP forced PTI to hold intra party elections again in 20 days or it will lose its emblem symbol ‘the cricket bat'.

PTI Iconic Symbol Bat

"The change was forced on the party after the Election Commission of Pakistan warned the PTI last month that it risked losing its emblem — a cricket bat — unless an internal ballot was held for party officers". (Source: Al Jazeera)

"Arif Rafiq — President of Vizier Consulting — said the decision to block PTI symbol is “politically motivated”. They are part of a pattern of the Pakistani state using administrative measures, along with coercion, to deny PTI a pathway toward electoral victory,” he said, referring to the high popularity of Khan".(Source: Al Jazeera)

Removing khan from party chairmanship

Ever since Imran Khan was ousted, there was pressure on the party leaders to remove Imran Khan from the chairmanship. This pressure was created by the state institutions who want Khan out of the party he founded back in 1996. However, due to the nature of his sham cases it was evident that he will not be allowed to contest elections.

To contest general elections it was important for the party to gain its iconic symbol back. PTI decided to withdraw Imran Khan from the chairmanship (who had been sentenced for 3 years in a sham case and was also barred to hold any public office) in order to become acceptable by the ECP, to contest in general elections 2024.

"The change was forced on the party after the Election Commission of Pakistan warned the PTI last month that it risked losing its emblem — a cricket bat — unless an internal ballot was held for party officers". (Source: Al Jazeera)

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