Election fever peaks as nomination deadline closes amid foul play allegations

With February 8 appointed as the polling day for general election 2024, Pakistan is gearing up to elect new national and provincial governments for a five-year term.

By Nusrat Shaheen

ISLAMABAD: As the extended deadline for submitting nomination papers drew to a close on Sunday, Pakistan’s election season reached a fever pitch, but so did allegations of foul play.

While the air crackled with heightened political activity with major players and parties jostling to grab the most media attention, damning allegations of foul play by the partisans of former Prime Minister Imran Khan rang the loudest, particularly regarding police interference in Lahore.

Former Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s nominatio papers were filed in Lahore’s NA-123. He is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the head of the ascendant Pakistan Muslim Leagure-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

However, the District Election Commissioner Lahore, Abdul Wadud Khan, raised a complaint to the Provincial Election Commissioner, highlighting open interference in the work of government machinery, especially police officers meddling with the work of Returning Officers (ROs).

Khan’s complaint, echoing similar reports from other regions, underscores concerns about fair and transparent elections.

Amidst the controversy, prominent figures like PTI Vice-Chair Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his sons submitted their nomination papers from Multan, while the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) filed forms for 17 National Assembly and 27 Provincial Assembly seats in Karachi.

The matter of submission of nomination papers for Hamad Azhar was settled as his father Mian Azhar’s lawyer told the High Court his paper had been filed.

Earlier, Mian Azhar had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court alleging the authorities were hindering Hamad’s nomination. The court disposed of the petition after the statement of Hamad Azhar’s lawyer.

Mian Azhar had also sought the details of the cases against his son. Officials say the Police, Anti-Corruption, and FIA authorities have submitted their reports to the court.

In DG Khan, nomination papers for Zartaj Gul Wazir, another heavyweight of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were submitted from Constituency NA-186 and for Khawaja Shiraz from NA 184. Jafar Buzdar and Tahir Qaisrani have submitted their papers from PP-284.

PPP’s Dost Muhammad Khosa has submitted his nomination papers from Constituency NA 185. Mohammad Khan Laghari has submitted nomination papers from Constituency NA 187

Despite these high-profile entries, the spectre of alleged police meddling cast a long shadow over the day’s proceedings.

Khan’s complaint details how his attempts, in writing and via phone calls, to address the issue, failed to draw a response. This raises serious questions about the impartiality of the process and the potential influence of law enforcement agencies on the outcome of the elections.

While Sindh reported a steady stream of nomination submissions, with 426 papers filed for specific seats of women and minorities, the Punjab situation continues to raise eyebrows.

With the dust settling on a frenetic deadline day, one question remains: will Pakistan’s upcoming elections be decided by the will of the people or by behind-the-scenes manoeuvring? As the country braces for the next stage of the electoral process, it’s imperative for citizens to stay informed, demand transparency, and hold authorities accountable for upholding democratic principles.

Only by staying engaged and demanding accountability can the citizenry help ensure that the upcoming elections are a true reflection of their aspirations and pave the way for a brighter future for the country.