The Pakistani elections have always faced allegations of institutional rigging in favour of its Army’s “choice”. Despite reservations against “free and fair” elections, polling concluded across the country on 8th February, amid widespread allegations of mass rigging and the shutdown of mobile and internet services. With more than 40 hours passed since the counting began, the Pakistani Election Commission is yet to announce the results of around a dozen seats of the 266-strong National Assembly.
As per the Pakistani News outlet Dawn, jailed and barred from elections, Imran Khan has led PTI which has performed well despite being at odds with its Army. Around 92 PTI-backed Independent candidates have taken the lion’s share in the National Assembly while Nawaz Sharif-led PML (N) has emerged as the ‘single-largest party’ with 71 seats. It is important to note that as part of the Army’s crackdown against Imran Khan-helmed PTI, the party was stripped of its national symbol – a cricket bat and its leaders had to contest as Independents.
The PML (N) is followed by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) which has secured 54 seats. 134 is the halfway mark in Pakistan’s National Assembly, however, no ‘political outfit’ has crossed this on its own. This has led to intense rounds of talks – including ‘wheeling and dealing’ among the PML (N), PPP, and other major political outfits to form a coalition government and keep Imran Khan at bay.
Regarding this, Former PM and brother of Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz met with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and his son, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, at the residence of Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi to discuss all possibilities. As per Dawn, Shehbaz also spoke to MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to extend support to their outfit.
Pertinent to note that before the general elections, the MQM-P had announced that it would extend support to Nawaz Sharif to become Prime Minister after the elections.
However, according to the Dawn report, the dismal performance of the PML-N has allowed the MQM-P to rethink its strategy as its senior leader Aminul Haque refused to comment on their party’s electoral deal with PML (N).
Additionally, MQM-P convener Dr Siddiqui invited all independent candidates who won the elections to join his party, Dawn reported.
Meanwhile, other outfits have also started their outreach to form an alternate coalition government which could include “ostracised” PTI leaders.
Notably, the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) has had a long-standing relationship with the PTI since the latter’s sit-in outside Parliament House in 2014. Amid talks between PPP and PML (N), MWM is also in the run of play.
Dawn citing sources in both parties reports that there is the possibility of PTI-backed independents merging with MWM. This will reportedly help it maintain discipline among its cadre and clinch reserved seats for women and minorities. The reserved seats 60 for women and 10 for Minorities are awarded based on the party’s performance in the National elections.
Apart from the National Assembly, the MWM can also benefit PTI in the Punjab State Assembly which has 297 general seats, with 66 reserved for women and eight for non-Muslims. On Joining the MWM or any other party, the PTI could gain around 24 women legislators in Punjab.
Continued attacks, rigging, and challenges to election results
Mohsin Dawar, a former member of the Pakistan National Assembly, has been reportedly injured in a “firing” incident in North Waziristan’s Miranshah. Dawar is the chief of the National Democratic Movement and the co-founder of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement.
He was contesting from the district’s NA-40 constituency, where he had alleged rigging in election results. The recent attack on him comes more than a month after he survived a gun attack on his convoy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal districts.
Daughter of PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Meher Bano Qureshi contested elections from NA-151 as a PTI-affiliated candidate. She has announced that she would approach a court against the polling results in her Multan constituency.
Taking to X, Meher stated that she reached the returning officer’s (RO) office to request a recounting of the votes but neither the RO nor anyone else to receive the request was present there.
Imran Khan granted bail in 12 cases related to attacks on army property, is it a thaw in the Khan-Army feud?
In a dramatic turn of events, Imran Khan who was recently awarded a slew of jail terms in three back-to-back cases of 7,10, and 14 years, has secured bail in 12 cases related to attacks on army properties on 9th May 2023. An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan granted bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in 12 cases related to attacks on military installations in May last year.
Conspicuously, after Imran Khan backed independents’ registered surprisingly good performance, securing the most seats in NA as a bloc, despite opposition from even the Pakistan Army, the former cricketer has suddenly received a respite but he will still remain in jail in Rawalpindi and faces around 150 odd cases. The majority of them are related to the May 9 incident which the Pakistani army dubs as an act of insurrection and blames Imran Khan and PTI for it.
Back then, the properties of Corps Commander Lahore, Askari Tower, and Shadman police station were attacked while police personnel outside Khan’s Zaman Park residence were reportedly assaulted. Following the incident, hundreds of protesters linked to Khan’s PTI were arrested. In that context, respite for Khan could be seen as a possible sign of a thaw between the Army and the former Cricketer.
As per the things poised currently, the Pakistani Army who wanted to achieve smooth sailing for its “selected candidate” Nawaz Sharif, would still be contended with the formation of a PML (N) and PPP-led coalition government, sensing the popular support to its biggest dissenter currently, Imran Khan. However, with more relief to Imran Khan in the offing, the Army may signal its openness to crown Khan again on negotiated terms to avoid an impending Civil war kind of uprising, akin to 1971 when Sheikh Mujeebur Rehman’s victory was snatched by the army and it culminated into the formation of Bangladesh, albeit with Indian support.
