The upcoming elections in Pakistan are expected to be the most controversial in the nation's history, with potential consequences for the country's stability, according to analyst Hamid Mir. He believes that these elections will not truly represent a fair democratic process, as the decision-makers are likely to exclude the PTI from participating, along with a few leaders from PPP and PML-N. Furthermore, he anticipates that the leadership of Balochistan's nationalist parties will also be excluded from the electoral process.
Hamid Mir suggests that PTI chief Imran Khan may face disqualification from contesting the elections, similar to the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif in 2018. This situation mirrors what the PML-N experienced five years ago.
In the current political landscape, Mir draws parallels between the PML-N's situation and the PML-Q's position in 2002 when it was decided that the PML-Q would form the government at the federal level.
However, he expresses his belief that the "establishment" may not have the same influence over the Supreme Court as in the past, emphasizing that Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa will make decisions based on merit.
Journalist Suhail Warraich points out that various tactics are being employed to undermine the PTI and bolster the PML-N, akin to the dynamics of the 2018 elections, where the PML-N was at a disadvantage.
He highlights the common occurrence of "match fixing" in Pakistani elections, indicating that while massive rigging on the election day is challenging, numerous actions taken before the election can significantly impact the results.
Furthermore, Warraich alleges that efforts are underway to weaken known PTI candidates, similar to how the PML-N was contained within Punjab during the 2018 elections, leading to a loss of the party's strongholds in the province.