The upcoming elections in Pakistan are expected to be the mostcontroversial in the nation’s history, with potential consequences for thecountry’s stability, according to analyst Hamid Mir. He believes that theseelections will not truly represent a fair democratic process, as thedecision-makers are likely to exclude the PTI from participating, alongwith a few leaders from PPP and PML-N. Furthermore, he anticipates that theleadership of Balochistan’s nationalist parties will also be excluded fromthe electoral process.
Hamid Mir suggests that PTI chief Imran Khan may face disqualification fromcontesting the elections, similar to the disqualification of Nawaz Sharifin 2018. This situation mirrors what the PML-N experienced five years ago.
In the current political landscape, Mir draws parallels between the PML-N’ssituation and the PML-Q’s position in 2002 when it was decided that thePML-Q would form the government at the federal level.
However, he expresses his belief that the “establishment” may not have thesame influence over the Supreme Court as in the past, emphasizing thatChief Justice Qazi Faez Isa will make decisions based on merit.
Journalist Suhail Warraich points out that various tactics are beingemployed to undermine the PTI and bolster the PML-N, akin to the dynamicsof the 2018 elections, where the PML-N was at a disadvantage.
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He highlights the common occurrence of “match fixing” in Pakistanielections, indicating that while massive rigging on the election day ischallenging, numerous actions taken before the election can significantlyimpact the results.
Furthermore, Warraich alleges that efforts are underway to weaken known PTIcandidates, similar to how the PML-N was contained within Punjab during the2018 elections, leading to a loss of the party’s strongholds in theprovince.