The Week India - July 29, 2018

NEIGHBOURS

PAKISTAN

44 THE WEEK • JULY 29, 2018

that week. It was decided that an appeal against the

conviction, fi led in the Islamabad High Court, would

only be heard after the polls. And his conviction

would not be suspended for the time being.

Th e stage seems set for Imran Khan’s tabdeeli

(change) and naya Pakistan. Th e former cricketer is

emerging as the obvious choice in an election that

is increasingly becoming predictable. Th e Human

Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent,

nonprofi t organisation that has no links to the

government or political parties, believes that there

is “ample grounds to doubt” the “legitimacy” of the

polls.

Th e HRCP has issued a statement expressing con-

cern over the “blatant, aggressive and unabashed at-

tempts to manipulate the outcome of the upcoming

elections”. “Th e parties are not getting equal oppor-

tunity,” said Mehdi Hasan, chairperson of the HRCP.

“Th e PTI (Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ) is

the only adopted party of the establishment.”

PTI workers, however, dismiss the claim. “It is like

an India-Pakistan match,” says Nauman Wazir Khat-

tak, a PTI senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Th e

side that loses will talk about rigging.”

No civilian government in Pakistan has ever lasted

its term. But all civilian leaders hope that it will be

diff erent this time.

Th e Sharifs may still not be counted out of the

race. “My opinion is that July 13 belonged to Nawaz

Sharif,” said Hasan. “It was a good campaign, and

Nawaz’s party is still popular in Punjab. Lahore

decides the situation.”

Will popular support turn into votes? Records

show that Pakistanis do not turn out in large num-

bers to caste their ballots. Polling hovers around 45

per cent. In 2013—an election that the PTI claims

was rigged—it went up to 55 per cent. So, can the

silent majority of Pakistan stage a counter coup?

So far, it seems that the verdict will be fractured.

Th e PTI may emerge as the largest party, but it might

fall short of simple majority. Religious parties that

are trying to legitimise themselves by participating

in the polls could easily bridge the defi cit. But Khan,

complicating matters, has ruled out being part of a

coalition.

Punjab is still crucial to the numbers game. And

it remains to be seen whether Khan would be able

to make a dent in Sindh, the fortress of the Pakistan

Peoples Party. Led ably by Bilawal Bhutto, who has

spoken out eloquently against the ugliness of the

poll campaign, the PPP may become the kingmaker.

Th e hearing on a case of money laundering against

Asif Ali Zardari will now take place only after the

polls, which suggests that the PPP may have reached

some sort of understanding with the establishment.

Th e only respite the Sharifs have got is that Justice

Muhammad Bashir, who had sentenced them in the

case related to the ownership of luxury apartments

in London, has recused himself from hearing two

graft cases against them. Th is, however, does not

guarantee them a fair hearing.

If there is one thing that unites political parties,

it is their opposition to the rather dodgy role of the

judiciary in these elections. Early this month, the

supreme court had placed Zardari and his sister on

the “exit control list”, banning them from travelling

REUTERS

ON THE ASCENT

Imran Khan’s Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf

could emerge as the

largest party, but may

fall short of simple

majority