Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, was given a seven-year jail term after his marriage was declared un-Islamic and unconstitutional in Pakistan.
Khan had already received a 14-year prison term for corruption, was barred from holding public office for ten times the previous year, and was also given the same punishment the day before for disclosing state secrets.
Khan asserts that the accusations made against him are motivated by politics. Khan has targeted the nation’s strong defense, which has a long history of meddling in elections, since being removed from power in 2022. He has charged the US government, the military establishment, and the army captain with plotting against him.
He then claims that in order to avoid running in the future general election on February 8, the military command orchestrated his prison.
In the days leading up to the election, members of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ( PTI ) party have also been pressured or imprisoned into resigning from their positions, and employees have been barred from holding political rallies.
A muted election campaign has resulted from the PTI and its supporters ‘ constant harassment and intimidation, as well as the opposition Pakistan Muslim League ( Nawaz ) party’s favoritism of Sharif. Sharif served as prime minister three days before being removed in 2017.
Khan may challenge his views, and the courts are likely to grant him some relief. One point is certain, though: on February 8, the government has no plans to permit a free and fair election.
defense hegemony
Under the English ( who ruled what is now Pakistan until democracy in 1947 ), the government’s structure, firm, and methods were developed. However, the persistent fear of war with India, its desire to control international coverage, and its need to safeguard its fiscal allocations and governmental interests are the driving forces behind its entry into politics.
The defense was Pakistan’s most resourced establishment in 2022, accounting for nearly 18 % of government spending there. Millions of acres of open land are owned by this firm company as well. And as a line ally of the US during its commitments in Afghanistan, it has benefited greatly from military support.
The government has long sought to stop anyone from being elected who may attempt to sway policies that go against its ingrained interests. Following disputes over reestablishing diplomatic ties with India, Sharif, who was then the prime minister, lost favor with the defense in 2017. Less than two days before the 2018 common election, Sharif was detained on corruption-related claims and given a ten-year prison term.
Khan was supported by the government in winning that election. Khan’s connection with the military quickly deteriorated, despite the fact that he began his time in office by being “one page” with them and ceding alarming amounts of political area to them. When Khan rejected the nomination of army commander General Qamar Bajwa in an effort to keep Lieutenant-General Faiz Hameed as the army spy chief, conflicts erupted.
Khan was removed from office in a vote of no confidence in April 2022. He made many claims that directly challenged the defense and accused the US of engineering his treatment. He claimed that the war was “above the law,” had detained and attempted to assassinate him, and held a grudge against him at the time.
Khan’s complaints culminated in his imprisonment on May 9, 2023, on suspicion of corruption. An extraordinary public reaction against the government has resulted from his imprisonment. Supporters of Khan attacked government buildings and military installations, yet breaking into the army’s command center.
Numerous PTI followers were detained, and the defense vowed to “punish” them by turning many of them over to military authorities in defiance of international rules. For their part in the turmoil, three military officers were fired. According to all accounts, the government has since tightened its control over Pakistan’s politicians, also publicly admitting to meddling in them.
Explicit surveys
The national elections in Pakistan were scheduled to take place in November 2023, but they were postponed because it was necessary to redistrict district boundaries after a survey. Some people have questioned the electoral commission of Pakistan’s ability to conduct fair polls and are wary of this assertion.
Crime has ruined the lead-up to the postponed elections. Additionally, the electoral commission has requested defense safety assistance even though the elections are anticipated to proceed.
In the meantime, the PTI has experienced ongoing intimidation. The group has experienced legitimate failures, such as losing its political icon, the baseball bat, for not holding intra-party elections, and its site is blocked in Pakistan. Voters may feel uneasy as a result of PTI supporters ‘ ongoing abuse and coercion.
As long as the defense establishment continues to act as kingmaker, no vote in Pakistan can be referred to as free and fair. The February 8 poll is no different.
Social engineering in the military has made it impossible for the parties to have an equal performing field on election day. All that is left to be seen is whether or not members will show up to exercising their right to vote.
Sameen Mohsin Ali teaches global development at the University of Birmingham.
Under a Creative Commons license, this essay has been republished from The Conversation. read the article in its entirety.