Democracy is Nowhere to be Found in Pakistan
The 2024 Pakistan general election was held on the 8th of February, with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party led by former prime minister Imran Khan, contested against the backdrop of the country’s influential military establishments (East Asia Forum). Millions of citizens voting against the military regime, coupled with reported “obstructions faced by PTI candidates” during the voting process suggests military involvement (East Asia Forum).
Senior Pakistani official, Commissioner Rawalpindi, openly admitted to manipulating poll results under his supervision during an interview with the media. He claims that an estimated 70,000-80,000 votes were tampered with by affixing fake stamps on ballots intended for independent candidates (Dawn). The senior commissioner added that “I should be punished for the injustice I have done and others who were involved in this injustice should also be punished” (Aljazeera). This confirmation raises concerns about the possible military involvement and alterations in political settings. While Rawalpindi has confirmed further influence of the military in Pakistani politics, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has repeatedly rejected the accusations, leading to hundreds of nationwide protests. On the contrary, Rawalpindi’s confession has been praised, with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan claiming the “involvement of the state bureaucracy in rigging in Pakistan is beginning to be exposed” (Aljazeera).
Outraged citizens have begun protesting throughout the country, mostly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where PTI patriots recently secured 112 provincial assembly seats (East Asia Forum). As protests escalate, many Pakistani citizens anticipate the tyrannical regime’s exposure to the world.
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