Pakistan goes to the polls amid allegations of electoral meddling

Pakistani election staff carry polling material to stations at a distribution center in Islamabad, Pakistan, on the eve of Pakistan national election on Wednesday. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
Updated 25 July 2018
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Pakistan goes to the polls amid allegations of electoral meddling

  • Opinion polls suggest that Imran Khan’s PTI and Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N are neck and neck
  • Concerns about manipulation of the media, targeting of Khan’s opponents and intimidation of Sharif loyalists

LAHORE: Polls have opened in Pakistan for an election that marks only the second transition between civilian governments in the country. However, the significance of such a landmark moment is likely to be lost on some voters who have little faith in the democratic process due to widespread allegations of electoral manipulation.

After 23 years prowling the margins of Pakistani politics, most analysts and opinion polls predict great success for cricketing hero-turned-politician Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is expected to win the most seats.

Support for Khan, Pakistan’s most famous ladies man and biggest crossover sports celebrity, has surged in the past 18 months due to the corruption trial of ousted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), over the purchase of upscale London flats using offshore accounts.

Though Sharif was convicted and is now in jail, Wednesday’s election is still expected to be a close-fought battle between his PML-N and Khan’s PTI.

“The day belongs only to Imran Khan, there is no question about it,” said Fawad Chaudhry, a PTI spokesman.

That might prove to be true but there is mounting evidence that it has not come about without electoral manipulation, including selective targeting of Khan’s opponents, intimidation of Sharif loyalists to force them to defect to PTI, and pressure on the Pakistani media to mute any coverage critical of Khan or the army.

“Over the past few months, we’ve watched the establishment deploy old and new tactics to politically engineer these elections,” said Madiha Tahir, a Pakistan specialist at Columbia University. “At least military coups were honest — we knew what was happening. What we’ve seen in this election cycle is intense obfuscation.”

The military, which ruled Pakistan for about half its 71-year-old history, denies it has interfered in the campaigning.

Although almost 200 people have been killed in militant attacks during the run-up to the election, polling day is expected to be free of violence, with 371,000 troops, three times more than in 2013, set to be deployed outside and inside polling stations as 105 million Pakistanis cast their votes.

Whoever emerges victorious, the new government will have its hands full dealing with a host of problems, including water shortages, a currency crisis and plummeting foreign currency reserves that threaten to send Pakistan knocking on the doors of the International Monetary Fund looking for yet another bailout. Matters are made worse by the enduring threat posed by the Taliban and Daesh militants, and thorny relationships with long-time ally the US and neighboring rivals India and Afghanistan.

If, as expected, no party wins a clear majority, the people of Pakistan will have to brace themselves for weeks of political haggling to assemble what is likely to be a weak coalition government that will have trouble pushing through badly needed reforms. To complicate matters, Khan, who is known for his fiery stubbornness, has repeatedly stated he is wary of entering any governing alliance with either of the established parties, which he considers ultra corrupt: PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party, which is led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the 29-year-old son of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

“The major question is will July 25 produce a government united and strong enough to rule Pakistan decisively and push reforms or will it be so weak and divided that it can neither make policies nor be able to rule without interference from unelected forces,” said lawyer and columnist Babar Sattar.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia specialist at the Woodrow Wilson Center, said a fractious, divided government “raises the possibility that the military could broaden its portfolio.”

Voters on Wednesday will elect 272 members of the National Assembly. To win a simple majority, a party needs to take at least 137 seats. A further 70 seats, mostly reserved for women and members of non-Muslim minorities, are allocated to the parties on the basis of their performance in the contested constituencies, and so to have an overall majority of the 342 total seats, one party needs to have at least 172 of them.

“I’m not scared, I’m really excited to be a part of something new,” said 23-year-old Mustafa Ameer. He is a student in Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s richest and most populous province, Punjab, which is the heart of Sharif’s power base. “We have had the same corrupt rulers for too long and I can’t wait to vote for change.”

Khan is confident he will make gains in Punjab, which accounts for 141 of the elected seats, but PML-N could ride a wave of sympathy due to the drama surrounding Sharif’s recent return to Pakistan with his daughter, Maryam, to face their conviction and jail sentences over corruption charges, while leaving his ailing wife behind in London.

Ahsan Iqbal, who held the joint portfolio of planning and interior minister in Sharif’s last Cabinet, said PML-N had delivered on its promises to increase economic growth, reduce energy shortages and terrorist attacks, and improve the state of the education sector.

“That is why I am very hopeful that tomorrow the world will see that despite the manipulation of this election, the result will reflect the people’s voice,” he said. “The PML-N will still emerge as the largest party.”

Opinions polls suggest Khan is gaining ground, however, with one survey showing PTI pulling ahead of PML-N and another placing it only slightly behind.

The PPP is in third place.

Though support for the party has slumped considerably in recent years, and its support is now mostly concentrated in the southern Sindh province, the young and charismatic Zardari has energized the election with a strong, issues-based campaign centered on human and minority rights.

“His message is unapologetically inclusive and progressive in a deeply polarized national discourse fueled by deep wells of hate and intolerance,” said Sherry Rehman, leader of the opposition in the senate and a senior PPP figure.

The candidates for Wednesday’s vote also feature a bumper crop of ultra-Islamist groups. Many of them are militant-linked and were reportedly persuaded by the army to abandon their violent history and enter the political mainstream to contest elections as potential spoilers for the PML-N. The army denies these allegations.

“Allowing terrorists and extremists who have been responsible for so many deaths to come into the mainstream without any process of disarmament, deradicalization, re-education and public pledges of non-violence will only polarize the public even more and lead to fiery confrontations either just before or after the elections,” said Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid.


Erdogan ally floats Turkiye constitutional amendment to let him extend his tenure

Updated 8 sec ago
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Erdogan ally floats Turkiye constitutional amendment to let him extend his tenure

ANKARA: The main political ally of longstanding Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that a constitutional amendment should be considered to allow the president to run again in elections set for 2028.
After his re-election last year, Erdogan is serving his last term as president unless parliament calls an early election, according to the constitution. He has ruled Turkiye for more than 21 years, first as prime minister and then as president.
“Wouldn’t it be a natural and right choice to have our president elected once again if terror is eradicated, and if a heavy blow is dealt to inflation and Turkiye secures political and economic stability,” said Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which is allied with Erdogan’s ruling AK Party (AKP).
A constitutional amendment to secure Erdogan’s ability to re-run in the presidential elections should be considered, he said in a parliamentary speech to MHP lawmakers.
Bahceli, a staunch nationalist, rattled Turkish politics last month by suggesting that the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) could be allowed to speak in parliament if he announces an end to the group’s insurgency.
Some analysts said the shock suggestion might be motivated by an AKP-MHP desire to win the support of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, parliament’s third-biggest, for a constitutional change that could boost Erdogan’s prospects in 2028 elections.
A constitutional change can be put to a referendum if 360 lawmakers in the 600-seat parliament back it. An early election also needs the support of 360 MPs.
AKP and its allies have 321 seats while DEM has 57.


A tiny village in India where Kamala Harris has ancestral roots is praying for her victory

Updated 05 November 2024
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A tiny village in India where Kamala Harris has ancestral roots is praying for her victory

THULASENDRAPURAM: The temple reverberated with rhythmic Sanskrit and Tamil hymns, as a Hindu priest held a flame before the god. As this tiny South Indian village gathered to pray for Kamala Harris, a gaggle of reporters jostled for space and camera angles.
There's little to distinguish the village of Thulasendrapuram from any other rural community in Tamil Nadu, except its connection to a woman who could become America's first leader with South Asian roots.
As millions of Americans vote, Harris has people rooting for her from thousands of miles away in a village surrounded by rice paddies and coconut trees, where her mother's family has ancestral ties. They talk about her at the local tea shop. Banners and billboards bearing her face are seen throughout the community.
“Our deity is a very powerful God. If we pray well to him, he will make her victorious,” said M. Natarajan, the temple priest that led the prayers in front of the image of Hindu deity Ayyanar, a form of Lord Shiva.
Harris’ maternal grandfather was born in the village, about 350 kilometers (215 miles) from the southern coastal city of Chennai, more than 100 years ago. As an adult, he moved to Chennai, where he worked as a high-ranking government official until his retirement.
Harris has never visited Thulasendrapuram and she has no living relatives in the village, but people here still venerate the family that made it big in the U.S.
“Our village ancestors' granddaughter is running as a U.S. presidential candidate. Her victory will be happy news for every one of us,” Natarajan said.
The village's sudden fame has helped bring money into the village. Recently, construction began on a water storage tank with funds donated by a local bank. Village residents say it will carry a plaque with Harris’ name.
Harris’ late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born in India. After moving to the U.S. to study, she married a Jamaican man, and they named their daughter Kamala, a Sanskrit word for “lotus flower.”
Other than trips during her childhood, Harris hasn’t visited India much — particularly not since becoming vice president — but she has often spoken emotionally about her ties to her late mother’s country of birth. On Tuesday, she released a campaign video highlighting her mother, who arrived in the U.S. at age 19 and became a cancer researcher.
Titled “Mother,” the video ends with a narrator saying: “This daughter of Shyamala, this daughter of the American story, is ready to lead us forward.”
Harris has often talked about how she was guided by the values of her Indian-born grandfather and mother. She has also spoken of her love of south Indian food, especially a type of steamed rice cake called idli.
Harris’ name is engraved in a list of donors — her aunt Sarala Gopalan gave money to the temple in her name — along with that of her grandfather. Outside, a large banner wishes “the daughter of the land” success in the election.
On Tuesday, the village temple also received rare international visitors: two American tourists and one from the U.K., all wearing black t-shirts that said “Kamala Freakin Harris.”
Manikandan Ganesan, a villager who runs a small store near the temple, said Harris’ bid for the presidency has made the village famous. He hopes Harris will eventually visit them.
“Even if she mentioned that she would visit our village, it would make us very happy,” Ganesan said. “Her victory itself will be a big source of happiness for us.”
Village residents also prayed for Harris’ victory in 2020, and set off firecrackers when she became the U.S. Vice President.
For women of the village, the candidate's journey is a source of inspiration.
Local politician Arulmozhi Sudhakar said Harris embodies a significant step toward female empowerment in places like Thulasendrapuram, where a majority of women continue to face discrimination and gender inequality.
“From the time when women were not even allowed to step out of their house, to now a woman from our village contesting in the U.S. presidential election — this brings happiness for us,” Sudhakar said. “The coming generations will see her as a role model to succeed in life.”

Ukraine’s military says it shot down 48 drones and two missiles overnight

Updated 05 November 2024
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Ukraine’s military says it shot down 48 drones and two missiles overnight

KYIV: The Ukrainian military said on Tuesday it shot down 48 out of 79 drones and two missiles launched by Russia overnight.
The air force said the location of 30 other drones had been lost, while another had returned to Russia.


India foreign minister says vandalism of Hindu temples deeply concerning

Updated 05 November 2024
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India foreign minister says vandalism of Hindu temples deeply concerning

  • Vandalism incident happened weeks after Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to killing of Sikh separatist leader in 2023 
  • Canada has accused India of conducting a broad campaign against South Asian dissidents in Canada, which New Delhi denies 

SYDNEY: India foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Tuesday the vandalism of a Hindu temple in Canada on Monday was deeply concerning.
“What happened yesterday at the Hindu temple in Canada was obviously deeply concerning,” he told reporters in the Australian capital Canberra while on an official visit.
The incident happened weeks after Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in 2023 in Canada. Canada has accused the Indian government of conducting a broad campaign against South Asian dissidents in Canada, which New Delhi denies.
The incident has increased tensions between Canada and India, and between Sikh separatists and Indian diplomats.
Two Hindu temples were also vandalized in Canberra last month, which Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said was upsetting for members of the Indian community.
“People across Australia have a right to be safe and respected, people also have a right to peaceful protest, people have a right to express their views peacefully,” she told reporters.
“We draw a line between that and violence, incitement of hatred or vandalism,” she added.
Wong said Australia had expressed its views to India about Canada’s allegations over the targeting of Sikh separatists, and Canberra respected Canada’s judicial process. Jaishankar said it was unacceptable that Indian diplomats had been placed under surveillance by Canada.
“Canada has developed a pattern of making allegations without providing specifics,” he said.


India foreign minister says vandalism of Hindu temples deeply concerning

Updated 05 November 2024
Follow

India foreign minister says vandalism of Hindu temples deeply concerning

  • Canada has accused the Indian government of conducting a broad campaign against South Asian dissidents in Canada, which New Delhi denies

SYDNEY: India foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Tuesday the vandalism of a Hindu temple in Canada on Monday was deeply concerning.
“What happened yesterday at the Hindu temple in Canada was obviously deeply concerning,” he told reporters in the Australian capital Canberra while on an official visit.
The incident happened weeks after Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in 2023 in Canada. Canada has accused the Indian government of conducting a broad campaign against South Asian dissidents in Canada, which New Delhi denies.
The incident has increased tensions between Canada and India, and between Sikh separatists and Indian diplomats.
Two Hindu temples were also vandalized in Canberra last month, which Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said was upsetting for members of the Indian community.
“People across Australia have a right to be safe and respected, people also have a right to peaceful protest, people have a right to express their views peacefully,” she told reporters.
“We draw a line between that and violence, incitement of hatred or vandalism,” she added.
Wong said Australia had expressed its views to India about Canada’s allegations over the targeting of Sikh separatists, and Canberra respected Canada’s judicial process. Jaishankar said it was unacceptable that Indian diplomats had been placed under surveillance by Canada.
“Canada has developed a pattern of making allegations without providing specifics,” he said.