Live: Elections 2024

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that he foresees a stalemate in government formation “if someone is not ready to change their stance”.

Speaking to reporters at the Supreme Court today, the former foreign minister said the PPP and him are adamant on their stance, highlighting that it will not be changed at any cost.

“If someone else wants to change their stance, there can be progress. If they are not ready to change it, I foresee a stalemate,” Bilawal said, adding that this would not benefit democracy or the parliamentary system.

“If I want to give the PML-N a vote, I will have to give it on my terms and not theirs,” he said.

“The delay [in forming the government] is because of non-serious,” he said, adding that this harmed Pakistan’s democracy. “The faster this is resolved, it will be better for stability and the incoming government.”

PTI’s Kamran Bangash has said he still has not received a response from the Returning Officer after requesting attested copies of the Form 45.

“It has been seven days since I submitted my application to the Returning Officer PK-82, Awais Khan, requesting attested copies of Form45s immediately after he announced the manipulated consolidated results (Form 47) in absentia of all the candidates and our agents,” he wrote in a post on X.

According to Bangash, his election agent has been visiting the RO’s office daily for the past seven days to no avail.

“This situation exemplifies the disregard for the public’s mandate by a BPS-17 official Awais Khan and his DC Afaaq Wazir, who prioritise personal gains (corruption) over their duty and public vote.”

“It is clear that he was engaged in manipulating the Form 45 to favour a candidate who ranked seventh in the voting, yet a group of unscrupulous individuals declared him the winner,” he said.

Instead of giving a fresh start or the political stability that has been lacking since 2017, our badly rigged polls have hobbled our ability to tackle the huge problems that are threatening chaos. These problems include ever-rising inflation and the default threat; a surge in terrorism; and testy ties with three neighbours. They also include political polarisation and gridlock; a Constitution mauled by all major parties and institutions and thus institutional collapse. All this makes us, arguably, the most unstable and troubled state in South Asia.

A new inept PDM regime, lacking strong legitimacy, mandate, unity and ideas to tackle these challenges, may land dead on arrival. It will see internal and civilian-establishment tussles. It will face a PTI, revitalised after the post-May 9 setbacks by the polls results, with new legitimacy and energy to do what it does best — furious agitation.

Read more here.

PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, while speaking in the upper house of Parliament, has said that there were no two opinions that the history of elections in the country was “not pleasant”.

At the same time, he said that if elections were controversial then that did not mean that one Form 45 was correct while another was not. “Do not imbalance the scale like this,” he said.

He said that if rigging had taken place, they had taken place across the board, not just in one province.

Talking about the 2018 polls, he said, “What was wrong then is wrong now”.

Speaking in the Senate, PTI Senator Walid Iqbal has termed the entire electoral process “tainted”. He said that the shutting down of mobile and internet services had invited criticism from the world.

He said that the caretaker government and the election commission would have to prove that there was no “malice” in this regard. Iqbal further asked about the whereabouts of the Form 45, noting that the chief election commissioner had directed to release all results till 2am on election night.

He said that the international community had also criticised the conduct of the polls.

Speaking in the Senate, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Senator Mushtaq Ahmed has called on the Election Commission of Pakistan to “apologise”, for Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja to resign and for proceedings under Article 6 (treason) to be initiated against him.

He also called for the formation of a judicial commission which would conduct an inquiry of all institutions.

Speaking in the Senate, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Senator Mushtaq Ahmed said that the situation was Feb 8 different, which took a “180 degree turn” the very next day.

He lauded party leader Hafiz Naeem for forfeiting the seat he won in Sindh as he had not won in the constituency. He further said that Afghans had won in the elections, lamenting that non-Pakistani nationals would be sitting in the assemblies.

He said that is why voices were clamouring that the polls “had been sold” and were pre-decided. He said that those who did rigging were “criminals” and were responsible for spreading hate in the country.

“Elections are conducted to rid countries of crisis […] But what kind of election is this which has shoved us into a new crisis? […] International institutions are saying that democracy is declining in the country,” he said.

“The bullet has kidnapped the ballot,” he said, adding that this needed to end.

Talking about the Feb 8 polls, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Senator Mushtaq Ahmed has said that mobile and internet services were shut down. “At that moment, it was evident that polls were not free, fair or transparent,” he said.

Speaking in the Senate, he said that X had been shut down on services. “Why were internet and mobile services shut down on Feb 8 polls? Why is X being restricted for three days?”

He went on to say, “Rigging has taken place. You are not facing it. You are fearful.”

He said that the shut down of X was causing educational harm and was an attack on people’s digital rights. He called for the restoration of all social media platforms.

PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi has said that he is hopeful that talks between his party and the PML-N for the formation of the government will be finalised by today.

“I am hopeful that it will be finalised today,” Kundi said while speaking to Geo News. He added that some minor details need to be straightened out.

He reiterated that PPP would not be seeking federal ministries.

It’s time to be worried. Really worried for Pakistan.

Our political engineering formula has come undone. The hawa which was clearly blowing hard couldn’t secure a win for the blue-eyed party and engineer an election in Punjab. The ever-capricious electables have been playing up for some time now and refuse to swing around with the wind. And parties refuse to fall apart quietly after the first dozen or so among their leadership are given a software update.

And then, the people. Decades ago, it was decided they were illiterate, poor and desperate for money, and hence the political process could be reduced to ‘they sell their vote for a few thousand, let’s not blame them’, while the more organised or better off went for the promise of a naali (drain) or sadak (road). But this time around, the poor and the sadak lovers have changed their colours. Their blood has also turned white. Caste and community no longer mean the political world to them. They have turned into selfish adults who want to exercise the individual right to vote, even encouraging their mothers and sisters to think similarly. The absence of the bat didn’t confuse them, for the wily creatures used smartphones, believing it over mainstream media.

Read more here.

The knocking on its doors keeps growing louder. How long can the ECP ignore it? Over the weekend, Pakistan’s most prominent elections monitoring body as well as its top human rights watchdog have added their voices to calls for an audit of election results.

On Saturday, the same day a senior bureaucrat had ‘confessed’ to his involvement in results tampering, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed its reservations regarding the “integrity and credibility” of the Feb 8 exercise, noting a range of issues that it said had “cast a shadow over the democratic process”.

A day later, the Free and Fair Election Network urged the ECP to take immediate action and address complaints regarding illegalities committed in the compilation of election results. It also proposed a three-phase process to comprehensively address the widespread allegations of rigging, which is based on an audit of each step in the results consolidation process.

In Pakistan, it is almost customary for election candidates to refuse to acknowledge their defeat. Except a few, most are generally quick to cast aspersions and question the integrity of any election which does not go in their favour.

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An antiterrorism court in Naushahro Feroze granted interim bail to National Peoples Party chairman Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, his son, guards and workers for eight days till Feb 26 in a case of violence on election day.

Murtaza Jatoi and others were booked under relevant sections of ATA and PPC for opening fire on people and injuring three workers of PPP at Ali Buksh Machi polling station.

One of the injured Bilawal Zardari later died at Peoples Medical University Hospital, Nawabshah.

Read full story here

PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that his party’s coalition talks with PML-N have ample time given there are still “eight to nine days” left in convening the session of the National Assembly.

Kaira said it was never a part of the agenda of the meeting that PPP would join the government in the Centre.

“So far the PPP is sticking to its stance that it will not ask the PML-N for ministries,” he said while speaking on Geo News TV show “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”.

“We sat only to streamline our mutual issues so that no deadlock will take place,” he added.

When asked if PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari is a candidate for the office of the president of Pakistan and if the PML-N will field its candidate for the same office, Mr Kaira said: “In alliances, candidates are not fielded against each other.”

A video filmed by a couple of television journalists at a printing press in Lahore — touted by the PTI as being ‘proof’ of post-poll rigging — created waves on social media, only to be debunked hours later.

The viral video, which was also shared by PTI founder Imran Khan’s official X account, appeared to show two journalists inspecting ballot papers labelled as being meant for NA-15 (Mansehra) — where PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had contested — at a printing press in Lahore.

But as the clip circulated on social media, questions began to be raised over why ballot papers would need to be printed so long after the elections. Others asked why Rai Saqib Kharal and Imran Arshad, the reporters seen in the video, had not uploaded or shared the footage themselves.

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Some armed men attacked a police armoured vehicle on security duty at a polling station at Kot-Azam in Tank, triggering an exchange of fire that left one of the attackers dead on Monday.

The polling process had to be stopped for some time due to the ambush, though it resumed following a search and clearance operation by police.

The police vehicle was on security duty for re-polling on six polling stations at the National Assembly (NA-43) constituency of Tank-cum-Dera Ismail Khan.

On Feb 8, the polling did not take place at the six polling stations, including one at Kot-Azam in Tank and five in Kalachi tehsil of D.I. Khan, due to deteriorating law and order situation.

Read more here

PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira has claimed that the final announcement of the new coalition government can be made on February 27-28.

Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada kay saath, the former adviser to the PM said: “There are many days left for the National Assembly session. It has to be on the 29th. The decision can be made on the 28th or 27th.”

Kaisa also confirmed that PPP and PML-N were figuring out how to move forward.

“Today was the fourth day. Four meetings have taken place,” he said, clarifying that discussions over ministries were not on the agenda.

Internet tracking monitor NetBlocks has said that services of X (previously Twitter) have now been restricted in Pakistan for over 48 hours “as concerns mount over election fraud”.

It said the authorities have “failed to provide a lawful basis for the measure, which violates the public’s fundamental right to free expression at a critical moment”.

Uzma Khan, sister of PTI chief Imran Khan, has petitioned the Islamabad High Court seeking a medical examination of Bushra Bibi, who is incarcerated at Bani Gala.

“Illegally incarcerated former first lady was given chemical laced food over a week ago, which has burnt her throat and stomach. She is unable to eat and is unwell, but has been denied medical treatment,” the PTI said in a post on X.

China has expressed hopes that political parties in Pakistan would work together to form a new government following the February 8 general elections, state-run Radio Pakistan reports.

At a regular press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that as a close and friendly neighbor, China fully respects the choices of Pakistani people and sincerely hopes that relevant parties of Pakistan will work together to uphold political solidarity and social stability after the elections.

The spokesperson said that China and Pakistan were all-weather strategic cooperative partners and China hoped to work with Pakistan to build on the traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation in various areas and accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community.

Barrister Salman Akram Raja has claimed that ballot bags were being filled up even today and fake Form 45s were being prepared even 10 days after the elections.

Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, the PTI leader said: “I am sure we will get justice because the scale on which rigging was carried out was huge.

“They won’t be able to hide it. You will see that one form won’t match the other.”

PTI leader Asad Qaiser has urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to conduct a judicial probe into former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha’s rigging allegations.

Speaking to the media alongside party leaders, the former National Assembly speaker expressed hope that the courts will give them their due rights.

“The Pindi commissioner’s accusations show how big the scale of rigging was,” he added. “This is the most controversial election. Entire Balochistan is protesting against rigging.”

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that none of the elected candidates have what it takes to be the finance minister.

Speaking on DawnNews programme ‘NewsWise’, the estranged PML-N leader said: “Those people who are coming through the assembly, none of them have what it takes to be the finance minister. You will have to get someone from outside. A person who understands finance considering the situation of the country”.

Abbasi said that the finance minister’s job was not that hard, adding that the minister just needs to implement the IMF programme.

“We are not capable of financial discipline nor making any policies,” he said. “A finance minister should be brought who is a sensible person and understands these things.”

PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said his party is in touch with the Grand Democratic Alliance and the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party for alliance.

“God willing we will go to Quetta and Karachi in the coming day […] we will not allow anyone to take any decisions behind closed doors, these decisions need to be taken as per the law and Constitution,” he said at a press conference alongside JUI-P leaders.

Qaiser claimed that his party has won the public’s mandate and is the largest political force in the country. “Any other government that comes will be fake and would not be able to solve Pakistan’s problems,” he added.

The PTI leader further hoped that his party’s grievances would be heard in courts.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Pakistan has announced that his party is joining hands with the PTI for “political stability”.

“I am indebted to PTI for taking JUI-P into confidence in the current scenario and opting for an alliance for the way forward,” a JUI-P leader said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, PTI’s Gohar Khan said both the parties had affirmed to continue contacts. “We all agree that this country is ours, democracy should continue moving forward […] and we will take a step forward to improve the economy.”

He said that both the parties agreed to continue the struggle against alleged rigging in the Feb 8 polls.

The core committee of the PTI has condemned the “fresh series of enforced disappearances” of PTI-backed successful independents, claiming that some of these were also being forced to quit the party.

It also expressed concerns over the “serious threats” to the life of party chief Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi during detention at Bani Gala.

In a post on X, the party said the former first lady was being kept in detention at Imran’s Bani Gala residence “against her will”, claiming that she had been given “poisonous food”.

Global rating agency Fitch has said that the “close outcome of Pakistan’s election and resulting near-term political uncertainty may complicate the country’s efforts to secure a financing agreement with the IMF”.

In a report today, Fitch stated that a new deal was key to the country’s credit profile which “we assume one will be achieved within a few months, but an extended negotiation or failure to secure it would increase external liquidity stress and raise the probability of default”.

The report said Fitch estimated that Pakistan met less than half of its $18 billion funding plan in the first two quarters of the fiscal year ending June 2024 (FY24) “excluding routine rollovers of bilateral debt”.

“Nevertheless, this is low relative to projected external funding needs, which we expect will continue to exceed reserves for at least the next few years,” the report added.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has said the state would defend civil servants in discharging their duties against “violent trolls” and ensure exemplary punishment to them.

“There should be no doubt about our commitment to these noble civil servants serving the State and the people of Pakistan,” he said in a statement.

“The people of Pakistan have spoken with a clear voice on February 8 and have given a split mandate. Some elements with proven track record of violent behaviour and vigilantism are now using different tricks including weaponisation of social media in blackmailing and pressurising civil servants to switch their loyalties from the State of Pakistan to the violent gang.

“This action is clear violation of the Article 5 and other articles of the Constitution and the laws of the land,” the premier added.