by MEHLAQA SAMDANI
Supporters of the opposition staged nothing short of a civilian coup against the Pakistani military.
As polls closed following Pakistan’s parliamentary election on February 8, major media networks began election-night coverage with prominent TV anchors and pundits discussing voter turnout and the timeline for expected results. When it came time to offer his analysis, one of Pakistan’s most popular TV hosts, Hamid Mir, launched an unexpected tirade against the entire electoral process. He refused to call the proceedings of the day an “election,” railed against the suspension of mobile services (which caused massive disruption to voters as they cast their ballots), and questioned the relevance of discussing voter turnout when the outcome of the election was predetermined.
This was a stunning moment on live television at a time when Pakistan’s military and intelligence apparatus had systematically suppressed all forms of dissent. Somebody had dared to vocalize what millions of Pakistanis in the country and in the diaspora already knew about the deeply flawed electoral process.
Mir was perhaps referring to pre-election rigging against Pakistan’s most popular political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, as the night wore on, the military and intelligence establishment in collaboration with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) tried to pull off the greatest post-electoral heist in Pakistan’s recent history.
As soon as the media began reporting that PTI-backed candidates were defeating former prime minister Nawaz Sharif (favored by the military) and other leading candidates in his party, the ECP abruptly withheld and delayed the announcement of results in key constituencies. Several hours later, Pakistanis woke up to an entirely new reality. PTI candidates who had been winning by wide margins and had documentation to prove it, found themselves defeated according to the ECP. Despite “losing” dozens of seats in the process, which they are currently challenging in the courts, PTI-backed candidates still won the highest number of seats in parliament.
Put simply, PTI supporters in Pakistan staged nothing short of a civilian coup against the Pakistani military.
Rather than continue to support the discredited military establishment bent on subverting the will of the people, the Biden administration would do well to support the democratic aspirations of millions of Pakistanis.
Pre-Election Rigging
As the date for parliamentary elections approached, the PTI was stripped of its electoral symbol, and party candidates were forced to contest as independents. The party chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan was convicted on three separate counts and sentenced to a total of 31 years. PTI candidates and their families were targeted, harassed, and assaulted, and many were forced to campaign in hiding.
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