Rigging in Pak, but fair polls in India: Pakistani Senator highlights contrast

Shibli Faraz, the Leader of Opposition in the Pakistani Senate (upper house), praised the efficient electoral process of India and criticised his own country for not being able to conduct a transparent election to ensure a peaceful power transition.

“Elections have just been conducted there [in India]. More than 800 million have voted. There were thousands of ͏polling stations. Even for͏ a person living in a remote area, ͏a polling station was set up. The election lasted for a month and was conducted using EVMs. Not a single voice͏ has been raised that the election was rigged. We want to progress in the same way,” Shibli Faraz said during a parliamentary session in Islamabad.

Faraz, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, held multiple portfolios in the erstwhile Imran Khan-led government.

He also expressed his frustration over the numerous disputes in Pakistan’s elections, where losing candidates refused to accept defeat.

Faraz held the poor electoral culture in Pakistan responsible for making the political system “hollow”. He also asked why Pakistan cannot conduct such a free and fair election.

“This is because of the vested interests of all parties, including the Muslim League, and the MQM,” he said.

The statement by the Pakistani senator comes after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

To contrast, the February election in Pakistan followed widespread chaos in the Islamic Republic. The elections, in which the PTI was barred from contesting, were marred by allegations of fraud, snatching of nomination papers, arbitrary arrests of candidates and supporters, rejection of nomination papers, and disruption of campaign events.

Pakistan’s Election Commission received as many as 1,300 complaints. Poll officials did not announce the results of several seats even days after counting began.

Observers, like the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, also pointed to what appeared to be pre-poll rigging before the elections in Pakistan.

The military’s role and preference for Nawaz Sharif’s Muslim League, over Imran Khan, further concretised accusations of interference and a compromised election.