Pakistan held its 12th general election on February 8th, 2024. No political party managed to secure the 169 seats necessary to claim a majority in parliament, leaving the formation of the government to the machinations of coalition deals. The aftermath of the vote was marred by grievances of vote-rigging, which challenged the legitimacy of the election process and created a slew of legal disputes.
The leading political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), headed by Imran Khan, who is presently in jail on corruption charges, is struggling with restrictions imposed by the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. Despite not being recognized as a parliamentary force, PTI-cleaned independent candidates managed to secure 96 seats out of 266 in the national assembly, outperforming the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Pakistan People’s Party [JURIST].
Following the contentious elections, social media forums were inundated with evidence and allegations of fraudulent activity. The UK Foreign Secretary has also expressed concerns about the considerable delays in the reporting of results and allegations of irregularities in the counting process. These disputes have led to numerous court cases where independent and PTI candidates strive to have the election results overturned.
In the southern Sindh, however, the PPP has retained its dominion and has claimed 84 out of the announced 129 seats. Notably, the political and financial turmoil currently enveloping Pakistan has significantly exacerbated pre-existing issues. With inflation at nearly 30 percent and 40 percent of the population living in poverty, the political uncertainty has embroiled an already suffering nation [Trading Economics].
Pakistan’s history of military dictatorships and the intricate role the military establishment plays in political affairs is also causing tension. Civilians are keenly aware that the civil-military relationship is skewed towards the military’s favour with the army traditionally being the final decider in selecting the prime minister.
Pakistan being deeply divided politically and economically, the unfolding aftermath of the latest election has only served to add further fuel to a nation already ablaze with crises. It remains to be seen what the ramifications of the recent election fallout will be for Pakistan’s already delicate legal system.