ISLAMABAD: A PTI candidate in Chakwal was bundled into a police van upon reaching the office of the RO, while in Gujrat the gates of the returning officer’s (RO) office were shut on the mother of PTI leader Moonis Elahi as she attempted to submit her nomination papers. In Jhelum, the brother of former information minister Fawad Chaudhry was arrested as he attempted to submit his brother’s papers.
In these and other instances, the only goal of the candidates or their family was to submit their nomination papers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by the specified deadline in order to run in the general elections that are slated for February 8, 2024. But they had no idea that the submission of nomination papers would infuriate the police and that their efforts would be met with brutality or shame.
Concerned about the integrity of the elections, experts and candidate families have called on the ECP to take immediate action to level the playing field in the wake of claims of pre-poll rigging, candidate arrests, and the theft of nomination papers. Moonis brought attention to the Gujrat issue when he shared on X that the RO office refused admission to his mother, who happens to be the sister of PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
According to Chaudhry Faisal Hussain, who is Fawad’s brother, Faraz Chaudhry was “abducted” while submitting Fawad’s candidacy papers. Chaudhry explained that Fawad had granted Faraz special authority to file his nomination papers. Nomination papers for NA-60 and NA-61 were ultimately submitted by Faisal and Fawad after a difficult day, and Faisal stated that his brother was released just before midnight.
“Who would agree to play in an unfair match?” Faisal asked. The ECP has been a colossal failure. Based on what we know so far, it seems like the ECP has failed to give everyone a fair shot. The detention of candidates and the seizure of nomination documents, he added, gives the impression of pre-poll manipulation, and it is the responsibility of the ECP to ensure that elections are fair and open.
Rights organizations and political parties, particularly the PTI, have voiced worries about the lack of a fair playing field as the country approaches general elections, according to policy expert, writer, and author Raza Ahmad Rumi.
Rumi brought attention to the fact that party candidates have long been denied the opportunity to submit nomination papers. He went on to say that this practice has been reported on multiple occasions across the country, particularly in the Punjab province, a key battleground, in the past two days.
According to Rumi, the state authorities have made it obvious that the PTI will not be permitted to contest in a fair and equal manner, even though this may not be a widespread crackdown. According to him, the establishment seems to have determined to limit political space for the PTI and its former chairman, Imran Khan, who is currently in jail and involved in various cases, since the unrest on May 9 against military facilities.
Rumi stressed the importance of the ECP’s role in this setting for the establishment of an honest and open electoral process. There have been several accusations of prejudice and questions about the ECP leadership’s lackadaisical stance, despite its repeated assurances to the people that the votes will be fair.
“The credibility of the ECP must be protected,” Rumi stated.
However, he insisted that the chief election commissioner has been vocal about his experiences with personal attacks, including those that have targeted his civil servant wife, since at least last year. He went on to say that it was ironic because the PTI government had selected him.
“The three most important officer holders with a direct bearing on elections—the CJP, the CEC, and the COAS—have gotten into trouble with Mr. Khan due to his style of politics and his tendency to personalize political conflicts.”
He went on to say that the PTI’s ardent internet followers have resorted to constant propaganda, further alienating themselves from the party and its official institutions, even if this isn’t the party’s declared policy.
The “political exclusion model” is back in full force, according to NUML professor Tahir Naeem Malik, who pointed out that Pakistan has a history of favoring certain candidates over others.
“Such incidents have raised questions about the sanctity of the whole process,” the professor remarked in reaction to the abuse of candidates and others in the days leading up to the election.
Whatever is happening with the PTI and its leadership demonstrates that there has been no shift in policy, Professor Malik said, noting that the party was having trouble following the events of May 9.
“The message is strong and clear that the policy regarding the PTI has not changed,” he said in his conclusion.
