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imran khan
Rights Groups Alarmed by Arrest of Pakistani Journalist Matiullah Jan
Amnesty International said that his arbitrary detention "on trumped up charges after he was abducted in the late hours of November 27 is an affront on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom."
Nov 28, 2024
Human rights and press freedom groups on Thursday expressed concern after Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan's family said he was "abducted," and then a judge placed him in police custody for a terrorism and narcotics case that critics call "bogus."
"Matiullah Jan has been abducted from the parking of PIMS tonight at around [11:00 pm] by unmarked abductors in an unmarked vehicle alongside Saqib Bashir (who was let go five minutes later)," Jan's son, Abdul Razzaq, said on the journalist's X account, referring to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
"This follows his courageous coverage of the protests in Islamabad. I demand that my father be let go immediately and his family immediately be informed of his whereabouts," added the son, who later posted a video on social media.
Journalist Asad Toor told the Pakistani newspaper Dawn that he was able to see Jan at the Margalla police station and that "he was fine." When Toor demanded to see the booking document, the first information report (FIR) was about protests by the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and did not name Jan.
According to Dawn:
It later emerged that the anchor had been booked in a terrorism case, which also included charges of possessing narcotics. The FIR, shared by Toor and also independently verified by Dawn.com, was filed by the Margalla police on the complaint of Superintendent of Police Asif Ali.
Jan was later presented in the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court where Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over a request by the police to grant the journalist's 30-day physical remand. However, the judge only granted his physical remand for two days.
The newspaper also noted Jan's suggestion that his case is based on his work: "This is highly irresponsible. The integrity of institutions is being destroyed. The reason [for the arrest] is as you know that I was [reporting] on the dead bodies."
Pakistani authorities are accused of trying to cover up the deaths of PTI protesters who descended on Islamabad this week demanding fair elections and the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has has been behind bars for over a year due to charges that he calls politically motivated.
"All records of dead and injured have been confiscated by authorities," a doctor who was working at an Islamabad hospital Tuesday night told The Guardian. "We are not allowed to talk. Senior government officials are visiting the hospital to hide the records."
Despite reports of "shoot-at-sight" orders for troops responding to the protests, Islamabad's police chief, Ali Rizvi, denied that live ammunition was used and Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called on PTI to provide proof of the firing of live ammunition.
Amnesty International, which had decried the shoot-on-site order and then demanded an urgent and transparent investigation into the deaths and injuries of protesters, also sounded the alarm about Jan's arrest.
"The arbitrary detention of journalist Matiullah Jan in Islamabad on trumped up charges after he was abducted in the late hours of November 27 is an affront on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom," Amnesty's South Asia office said on social media. "The Pakistani authorities must immediately release Mattiullah and drop the politically motivated charges against him. The government should stop targeting journalists for simply doing their job."
The Committee to Protect Journalists' Asia office similarly said on social media that "CPJ expresses grave alarm over reports of the abduction of journalist Matiullah Jan (@Matiullahjan919) in the capital Islamabad following his coverage of protests by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Authorities must ensure Jan's safety and immediate release."
"Journalist Saqib Bashir (@saqibbashir156), who was abducted alongside Jan, has since been released. We call for a swift and impartial investigation into the incident and accountability for all perpetrators," CPJ added, pointing out that "complete impunity persists for Jan's previous abduction in 2020," when Khan was still in office.
According to Dawn, the Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, the PTI, and various other reporters, rights advocates, and political leaders slammed Jan's arrest.
Reuters highlighted Thursday that "Jan is known as a critic of the military's heavy influence in Pakistani politics."
The news agency also shared comments from Jan's lawyer, Imaan Mazari, who said of the case: "It is no less than a joke... There is not an iota of truth in these charges."
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Pakistani Authorities Accused of Trying to Cover Up Killings of Protesters
"All records of dead and injured have been confiscated by authorities," said one doctor. "We are not allowed to talk. Senior government officials are visiting the hospital to hide the records."
Nov 27, 2024
The Guardian reported Wednesday that at least 17 civilians in Pakistan were killed and hundreds more were wounded by army and paramilitary gunfire at protesters and one doctor in Islamabad claimed that authorities were attempting to cover up deaths.
"At least seven have died and four are in critical condition in the hospital," according to the unnamed doctor, who said that on Tuesday night he treated over 40 patients, many injured by gunfire. "Eight more have been admitted to the hospital with bullet wounds."
"All records of dead and injured have been confiscated by authorities," added the emergency doctor, who requested anonymity for his safety. "We are not allowed to talk. Senior government officials are visiting the hospital to hide the records."
The newspaper noted that its reporter "witnessed at least five patients with bullet wounds in one hospital, which was surrounded by police."
"Yet again, protestors in Pakistan have faced a brutal and lethal crackdown shrouded in a callous opacity by the authorities."
Supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have converged on Islamabad this week. Troops were supposedly given "shoot-on-site" orders as the protesters closed in on D-Chowk, a popular square in the capital near multiple government buildings, calling for fair elections and the release of Khan, who says the charges against him are politically motivated.
"Islamabad's police chief, Ali Rizvi, denied that live ammunition had been used during the operation, which he said police had conducted alongside paramilitary forces," Reuters reported. "Rizvi said 600 protesters had been arrested in Tuesday's operation, bringing the total since the protest sit-in began on Sunday to 954."
The office of Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement that "as of now, no death has been reported, and the claims circulating regarding any such incidents are baseless and unverified."
According to Reuters:
Visiting protest sites on Wednesday, Naqvi said law enforcement agencies had successfully cleared protesters from the site of the sit-in and other areas of the capital.
He called on PTI to provide any evidence of the firing of live ammunition by security forces, and said it had not provided any details of deaths of its supporters.
PTI said on social media Tuesday that "a massacre has unfolded in Pakistan at the hands of security forces under the brutal, fascist military regime led by the Shehbaz-Zardari-Asim alliance. The nation is drowning in blood. Today, armed security forces launched a violent assault on peaceful PTI protesters in Islamabad, firing live rounds with the intent to kill as many people as possible."
On Wednesday, PTI highlighted The Guardian's reporting—calling it "alarming"—and shared an image of protesters that the party said are "confirmed dead as a result of direct firing by security forces."
Multiple U.S. lawmakers have condemned the crackdown on PTI protesters in Pakistan. Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who has spoken out multiple times this week, took note of The Guardian's reporting on Wednesday.
"Horrified by reports of an attempted cover-up of the alleged killings of peaceful protesters by Asim Munir's regime in Pakistan," Khanna said, referring to Pakistan's chief of the army staff. "The U.S. must impose visa bans and asset freezes on senior officials in the military regime."
Drop Site News journalist Murtaza Hussain explained that "visa bans and asset freezes on Pakistani officials would be [a] nuclear event," because "everyone knows their assets are all in Western countries where they also spend all their free time."
Amnesty International, which on Tuesday demanded that the government rescind the shoot-on-site orders and "exercise maximum restraint" in response to protests, issued a Wednesday statement calling for an urgent and transparent investigation.
"Yet again, protestors in Pakistan have faced a brutal and lethal crackdown shrouded in a callous opacity by the authorities," said Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty's deputy regional director for South Asia. "The escalation of violence, shutdown of mobile internet services, mass detentions, and alarming rhetoric against PTI protesters by the authorities speaks of a pattern of intolerance for the right to freedom of peaceful assembly throughout the country. Similar clampdowns against Baloch and Pashtun protesters were witnessed earlier this year."
"Disturbing reports and testimonies regarding the unlawful use of force including lethal ammunition against protesters, during a government-enforced communication blackout, are emerging from yesterday," the campaigner noted. "Continued restrictions on reporting by media and independent observers have made it difficult to verify the number of casualties and raise urgent questions about accountability for human rights abuses."
"Amnesty International calls for a prompt, thorough, impartial, effective, and transparent investigation into the deaths and injuries of protesters as well as the unlawful use of force including lethal and less-lethal weapons by security personnel," he added. "Authorities must also immediately release all protesters detained solely for exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly."
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Amnesty Says Pakistan Must 'Immediately Rescind' Shoot-on-Sight Order Against Protesters
Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan commended "the Pakistani nation and PTI's political workers, who are fighting for their rights by participating in this peaceful protest."
Nov 26, 2024
Amnesty International on Tuesday joined people around the world in pressuring the Pakistani government to revoke the "shoot-on-site" orders given to troops responding to tens of thousands of protesters in Islamabad who are demanding the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Khan has been behind bars for over a year due to various charges that he and his allies argue are politically motivated. So far, at least six people, including four paramilitary soldiers, have been killed and dozens more injured as supporters of the 72-year-old and his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by his wife Bushra Bibi, have converged on the country's capital in recent days.
In addition to Khan's release, the protesters "seek the resignation of the current government over what they call
rigged general elections this year," Reuters reported Tuesday. "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government has given no indication yet of bending to the demands. Authorities have used shipping containers to block major roads and streets in Islamabad, with police and paramilitary patrolling in riot gear."
NDTV explained that "when the Pakistan Army stepped in, it issued 'shoot-at-sight' orders under Section 245—which is a clause meant for the armed forces 'to defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war.' The clause also gives the army an open hand as it nullifies any judicial intervention or future proceedings."
"Any use of force must be lawful and no more than is necessary and proportionate and the authorities must take all necessary measures to prevent arbitrary deprivation of life."
Responding to the developments on Tuesday, Amnesty's South Asia office said that "the government must fully protect and ensure the rights of protesters and immediately rescind the 'shoot-on-sight' orders that provide undue and excessive powers to the military... The authorities must exercise maximum restraint, aiming to prevent and de-escalate violence and to avoid the use of force. Any use of force must be lawful and no more than is necessary and proportionate and the authorities must take all necessary measures to prevent arbitrary deprivation of life, including by ensuring that law enforcement actions are adequately planned to minimize the risk to life."
"There must also be effective accountability for any unlawful use of force," Amnesty continued. "The severe restrictions on assembly, movement, and mobile and internet services as well as arbitrary detentions of thousands of protesters across Pakistan, particularly in Islamabad, are a grave violation of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, movement, and expression. As protesters enter the capital, law enforcement officials have used unlawful and excessive force including tear gas, live ammunition, and rubber bullets against PTI protesters."
"Even if protests become nonpeaceful, the authorities must respect and ensure the protesters' rights to life and freedom from torture and other ill-treatment," the group added. "The Pakistani authorities have obligations under international human rights law to provide an enabling environment for the protesters. Amnesty International urges the government to ensure that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is respected and protected. Those detained solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly must be released immediately."
Pakistani poet and journalist Ahmed Farhad has used social media to share protest updates in Urdu, but also posted a message in English on Tuesday: "I don't know if I'll be alive or free to report further. I've been riding on bike for several kilometers to share these updates. I request international and national media to show the situation at D-Chowk. People are being shot at with heartless brutality. I don't know how many more people have been injured or killed by the time this post reaches you."
D-Chowk, a popular square in the capital near multiple government buildings, was "the final destination of PTI's main convoy," according to Dawn. As midnight neared in Pakistan Tuesday night, the newspaper reported that "rangers have regained control of Islamabad's D-Chowk after beginning arrests and pushing back PTI protesters from the venue of the party's much-touted power show."
Meanwhile, Khan on Tuesday
issued a new statement from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, commending "the Pakistani nation and PTI's political workers, who are fighting for their rights by participating in this peaceful protest, and resolutely standing before the mafia that has imposed itself upon our country, to demand their rights and genuine freedom."
"My message for my team is to fight until the last ball is bowled. We will not back down until our demands are met!" he continued, taking aim at the Pakistan's interior minister. "On Mohsin Naqvi's instructions, paramilitary rangers and police relentlessly fired tear gas shells and even shot at our political workers, resulting in the martyrdom of and injuries to peaceful, unarmed citizens. Let me tell you, they will have to answer for this! The protesters were not only peaceful, but they even assisted the very police officers and rangers who were shooting and firing teargas shells at them (when they were in need of help)."
"My thanks go to overseas Pakistanis around the globe, who are not only mobilizing Pakistanis and contributing funds, but also holding historic protests in their respective countries," he said. "Social media warriors around the globe should continue to vigorously reiterate our demands and show the world the ongoing oppression in Pakistan! To those threatening to try me in military court: Do what you must; I will not back down from my stance. Those who haven't yet joined the protest must also head to D-Chowk. All Pakistanis participating in the protest must remain peaceful, stay united, and stand firm until our demands are met. Remember, this is a struggle for Pakistan's survival and true freedom!"
Several solidarity protests were held around the world on Sunday and multiple U.S. political leaders weighed in the past few days.
"The brutal repression of protesters in Pakistan and growing political violence is an attempt to suppress democracy and human rights," U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) said Tuesday. "I stand with the brave Pakistanis who are rising up and protesting for change."
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) declared Monday that "freedom of speech and the freedom to peacefully protest are essential to democracy—that holds true in the United States, in Pakistan, and around the globe. I stand with pro-democracy advocates in Pakistan as they fight for justice and human rights."
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) said Monday that "I am moved by the bravery demonstrated by the Pakistani people as they protest for electoral integrity, and judicial fairness—and I condemn any violent suppression of them exercising their fundamental rights. Everyone deserves to speak out and demand democracy."
In a pair of social media posts on Sunday, Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.)
noted his support for recent letters led by Reps. Greg Casar (D-Texas), Susan Wild (D-Pa.), and John James (R-Mich.) "urging for the release of all political prisoners in Pakistan and for the U.S. to stand up for human rights," and specifically sounded the alarm about communications blackouts.
"Deeply concerned by reports that Asim Munir's regime in Pakistan is cutting internet, blocking roads, and abducting activists this weekend," he
said. "As the congressman for Silicon Valley, I am committed to standing up for freedom of speech including a free internet."
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Accusations of US Regime-Change Operations in Pakistan and Bangladesh Warrant UN Attention
The very strong evidence of the U.S. role in toppling the government of Imran Khan in Pakistan raises the likelihood that something similar may have occurred in Bangladesh.
Aug 19, 2024
Two former leaders of major South Asian countries have reportedly accused the United States of covert regime change operations to topple their governments. One of the leaders, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, languishes in prison, on a perverse conviction that proves Khan’s assertion. The other leader, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, fled to India following a violent coup in her country. Their grave accusations against the U.S., as reported in the world media, should be investigated by the UN, since if true, the U.S. actions would constitute a fundamental threat to world peace and to regional stability in South Asia.
The two cases seem to be very similar. The very strong evidence of the U.S. role in toppling the government of Imran Khan raises the likelihood that something similar may have occurred in Bangladesh.
In the case of Pakistan, Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia and Central Asia, met with Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S., on March 7, 2022. Ambassador Khan immediately wrote back to his capital, conveying Lu’s warning that PM Khan threatened U.S.-Pakistan relations because of Khan’s “aggressively neutral position” regarding Russia and Ukraine.
The Ambassador’s March 7 note (technically a diplomatic cypher) quoted Assistant Secretary Lu as follows: “I think if the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington because the Russia visit is being looked at as a decision by the Prime Minister. Otherwise, I think it will be tough going ahead.” The very next day, members of the parliament took procedural steps to oust PM Khan.
On March 27, PM Khan brandished the cypher, and told his followers and the public that the U.S. was out to bring him down. On April 10, PM Khan was thrown out of office as the parliament acceded to the U.S. threat.
We know this in detail because of Ambassador Khan’s cypher, exposed by PM Khan and brilliantly documented by Ryan Grim of The Intercept, including the text of the cypher. Absurdly and tragically, PM Khan languishes in prison in part over espionage charges, linked to his revealing the cypher.
The U.S. appears to have played a similar role in the recent violent coup in Bangladesh. PM Hasina was ostensibly toppled by student unrest, and fled to India when the Bangladeshi military refused to prevent the protestors from storming the government offices. Yet there may well be much more to the story than meets the eye.
According to press reports in India, PM Hasina is claiming that the U.S. brought her down. Specifically, she says that the U.S. removed her from power because she refused to grant the U.S. military facilities in a region that is considered strategic for the U.S. in its “Indo-Pacific Strategy” to contain China. While these are second-hand accounts by the Indian media, they track closely several speeches and statements that Hasina has made over the past two years.
On May 17, 2024, the same Assistant Secretary Liu who played a lead role in toppling PM Khan, visited Dhaka to discuss the US Indo-Pacific Strategy among other topics. Days later, Sheikh Hasina reportedly summoned the leaders of the 14 parties of her alliance to make the startling claim that a “country of white-skinned people” was trying to bring her down, ostensibly telling the leaders that she refused to compromise her nation’s sovereignty. Like Imran Khan, PM Hasina had been pursuing a foreign policy of neutrality, including constructive relations not only with the U.S. but also with China and Russia, much to the deep consternation of the U.S. government.
To add credence to Hasina’s charges, Bangladesh had delayed signing two military agreements that the U.S. had pushed very hard since 2022, indeed by none other than the former Under-Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, the neocon hardliner with her own storied history of U.S. regime-change operations. One of the draft agreements, the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), would bind Bangladesh to closer military-to-military cooperation with Washington. The Government of PM Hasina was clearly not enthusiastic to sign it.
The U.S. is by far the world’s leading practitioner of regime-change operations, yet the U.S. flatly denies its role in covert regime change operations even when caught red-handed, as with Nuland’s infamous intercepted phone call in late January 2014 planning the U.S.-led regime change operation in Ukraine. It is useless to appeal to the U.S. Congress, and still less the executive branch, to investigate the claims by PM Khan and PM Hasina. Whatever the truth of the matter, they will deny and lie as necessary.
This is where the UN should step in. Covert regime change operations are blatantly illegal under international law (notably the Doctrine of Non-Intervention, as expressed for example in UN General Assembly Resolution 2625, 1970), and constitute perhaps the greatest threat to world peace, as they profoundly destabilize nations, and often lead to wars and other civil disorders. The UN should investigate and expose covert regime change operations, both in the interests of reversing them, and preventing them in the future.
The UN Security Council is of course specifically charged under Article 24 of the UN Charter with “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” When evidence arises that a government has been toppled through the intervention or complicity of a foreign government, the UN Security Council should investigate the claims.
In the cases of Pakistan and Bangladesh, the UN Security Council should seek the direct testimony of PM Khan and PM Hasina in order to evaluate the evidence that the U.S. played a role in the overthrow of the governments of these two leaders. Each, of course, should be protected by the UN for giving their testimony, so as to protect them from any retribution that could follow their honest presentation of the facts. Their testimony can be taken by video conference, if necessary, given the tragic ongoing incarceration of PM Khan.
The U.S. might well exercise its veto in the UN Security Council to prevent such a investigation. In that case, the UN General Assembly can take up the matter, under UN Resolution A/RES/76/, which allows the UN General Assembly to consider an issue blocked by veto in the UN Security Council. The issues at stake could then be assessed by the entire membership of the UN. The veracity of the U.S. involvement in the recent regime changes in Pakistan and Bangladesh could then be objectively analyzed and judged on the evidence, rather than on mere assertions and denials.
The U.S. engaged in at least 64 covert regime change operations during 1947-1989, according to documented research by Lindsey O’Rourke, political science professor at Boston Collage, and several more that were overt (e.g. by U.S.-led war). It continues to engage in regime-change operations with shocking frequency to this day, toppling governments in all parts of the world. It is wishful thinking that the U.S. will abide by international law on its own, but it is not wishful thinking for the world community, long suffering from U.S. regime change operations, to demand their end at the United Nations.Keep ReadingShow Less
Casar Leads Call for Probe of Election 'Rigging' as Pakistani Lawmakers Choose New PM
"We do not want the United States taxpayer dollars to go to militaries that then use that money to incarcerate journalists or suppress free speech or suppress political parties," said Rep. Greg Casar.
Mar 03, 2024
Pakistani lawmakers on Sunday elected Shehbaz Sharif to serve a second term as the country's prime minister following elections last month that were widely decried as illegitimate, with top officials and the military
manipulating the vote and cracking down on the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan—the nation's most popular politician.
The election of Sharif, the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, drew shouts of protest from Khan's allies in Parliament who supported Omar Ayub, who served as federal minister for economic affairs under Khan. Despite facing large-scale repression ahead of the February contest, candidates backed by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won more seats than any other party—but not enough for an outright majority.
Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) party, the favored party of the nation's military, formed an alliance with the Pakistan People's Party and others, a partnership that Khan allies have derided as a "coalition of losers" and "mandate thieves."
Less than two weeks after the national elections, a top Pakistani administrative official publicly admitted to manipulating the results by converting "losers into winners, reversing margins of 70,000 votes of independent candidates for 13 national Parliament seats."
PTI-backed candidates were forced to run as independents after election authorities banned the party's well-known symbol, a cricket bat.
قومی اسمبلی ہو یا سڑکیں، #CoalitionOfLosers کو پی ٹی آئی پارلیمنٹیرینز اور پاکستان کے عوام کی جانب سے ٹف ٹائم مل رہا ہے۔ ان کا مستقبل اچھا نظر نہیں آتا۔ وہ شرمناک زندگی گزار رہے ہیں کیونکہ پاکستان میں ہر کوئی جانتا ہے کہ وہ مینڈیٹ چور ہیں!#مینڈیٹ_پر_ڈاکہ_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/xuuo1kYmxX
— PTI Layyah (@PtiofficialLyh) March 3, 2024
Days before Sharif's election as prime minister, U.S. lawmakers led by Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) expressed concerns about "pre- and post-poll rigging" and called on President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to withhold recognition of a new Pakistani government until a "thorough, transparent, and credible investigation of election interference has been conducted."
"Without taking this necessary step, you risk enabling anti-democratic behavior by Pakistani authorities and could undermine the democratic will of the Pakistani people," reads the letter, which was signed by more than 30 Democratic lawmakers.
"Pakistan is a longstanding ally of the United States, and we recognize the importance of our relationship for regional stability and counterterrorism efforts," the letter continues. "It is in the U.S. interest to ensure that democracy thrives in Pakistan and that election results reflect the interests of the Pakistani people, not the interests of the Pakistani elite and military. We look forward to working with you to show Pakistanis that the U.S. stands with them in their fight for democracy and human rights."
Last August, The Intercept obtained a secret cable indicating that the Biden administration pressured the Pakistani government to remove Khan as prime minister. Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote shortly after two American diplomats met with Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S. in March 2022.
Khan has since been imprisoned on corruption charges that he and his supporters say are politically motivated.
In an interview with Voice of America on Friday, Casar said he has "long studied" how "the United States supported coups, supported military governments, and suppressed democracy in Latin America."
"And that ultimately hurt, not just Latin Americans, but also hurt people in the United States. It did not work. It did not work economically. It did not work for our safety," said Casar. "The same should apply with [the] United States and Pakistan. We should not simply let geopolitics or corporations or our military alliance override our core value of democracy."
Addressing suggestions that his call for an investigation of the February election might constitute "meddling" in Pakistan's internal politics, Casar said that "our interest is not whether one group or another group wins an election."
"The people of Pakistan should be able to decide their own election," said Casar. "We have very clear laws that aid is contingent on human rights being respected, free speech being respected. We do not want the United States taxpayer dollars to go to militaries that then use that money to incarcerate journalists or suppress free speech or suppress political parties."
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US Progressives Decry Pakistani Military's Election Meddling
"We have a special responsibility to ensure that, going forward, our security cooperation is with a government that represents the will and democratic consent of the Pakistani people."
Feb 14, 2024
Leaders of the U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus on Wednesday decried the Pakistani military's alleged meddling in last week's general election, in which candidates affiliated with jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party won the most parliamentary seats despite efforts to sideline them.
In a stunning rebuke of the military- and U.S.-backed caretaker government that dubiously charged Khan with corruption last year, candidates affiliated with the former prime minister and cricket superstar's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won 93 National Assembly seats, more than either the conservative Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) party's 75 seats or the center-left Pakistan People's Party's 54 seats.
"In their elections last week, Pakistanis sent an unequivocal message that they want a country led by the people, not the military," Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Chair Emeritus and Peace and Security Task Force Chair Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)—who is also running for U.S. Senate—said in a statement.
Khan is currently imprisoned after being sentenced last month to 10 years behind bars for allegedly leaking a diplomatic cable showing that the Biden administration encouraged the Pakistani government to oust him over his neutral stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Khan and his supporters say the charges against him were politically motivated.
On Tuesday, PMLN, PPP, and other party leaders agreed to form a coalition government, a move meant to thwart PTI power. Under the deal, Shehbaz Sharif, a former PMLN prime minister, will likely serve as Pakistan's next leader. The PTI says the military rigged or meddled in at least dozens of races.
The government was also widely criticized for blocking cellphone and internet service across the country during the election.
"We condemn the Pakistani military's efforts to impede those free and fair elections and call for the immediate cessation of any of those continuing efforts," Jayapal and Lee said in their statement. "Given the history of U.S. support for Pakistan's government and security forces, we have a special responsibility to ensure that, going forward, our security cooperation is with a government that represents the will and democratic consent of the Pakistani people."
The Biden administration and numerous U.S. lawmakers also expressed concerns regarding voter suppression and intimidation, restrictions of civil liberties, and electoral violence. Scores of people were killed and wounded in a pair of election eve bombings in Balochistan, among other incidents.
Writing for Foreign Policy in Focus on Tuesday, Mehlaqa Samdani of the advocacy group Community Alliance for Peace described some of the alleged voter suppression:
As the date for parliamentary elections approached, the PTI was stripped of its electoral symbol, and party candidates were forced to contest as independents... PTI candidates and their families were targeted, harassed, and assaulted, and many were forced to campaign in hiding.
Voter suppression was rife. People did not know until very late where they would vote, and at times voters within a single family were assigned polling stations hundreds of miles apart. The day before the election, citing security concerns, the Election Commission of Pakistan announced that polls would close early, further restricting voter access.
"And yet, despite massive pre-poll rigging and voter intimidation, supporters of the PTI came out in droves," Samdani added. "Tens of millions exercised their electoral rights and delivered a stunning upset."
Hasan Ali wrote for The Nation this week that Pakistan is "in a state of crisis."
"The country of 240 million people, which is reeling from chronic levels of inflation and an economic meltdown, needs a strong and stable government to address its problems," he asserted. "The official results of the election, however, have only added to the chaos. Any government that comes in, unless it is led by the PTI, will not have the legitimacy to make difficult decisions, and is likely to be dependent on the military's support."
"Pakistani progressives, too, have been left with a conundrum," he continued. "It is clear that the PTI has the overwhelming support of the population, but the party appears ideologically committed to the twin pillars of religious populism and social conservatism."
"On the other side stands the Pakistan army, which has destabilized Pakistani politics ever since the country gained its independence and made a habit of suppressing the rights of its citizens," Ali added. "The prevailing mood among the left thus far is that the people have made their choice in putting their faith in PTI and that this choice must be respected by the military establishment."
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Historic Electoral Win Provides Opportunity for US Reset in Pakistan
Rather than continue to support the discredited military establishment bent on subverting the will of the people, the Biden administration would do well to support the democratic aspirations of millions of Pakistanis.
Feb 14, 2024
As polls closed following Pakistan’s parliamentary election on February 8, major media networks began election-night coverage with prominent TV anchors and pundits discussing voter turnout and the timeline for expected results. When it came time to offer his analysis, one of Pakistan’s most popular TV hosts, Hamid Mir, launched an unexpected tirade against the entire electoral process. He refused to call the proceedings of the day an “election,” railed against the suspension of mobile services (which caused massive disruption to voters as they cast their ballots), and questioned the relevance of discussing voter turnout when the outcome of the election was predetermined.
This was a stunning moment on live television at a time when Pakistan’s military and intelligence apparatus had systematically suppressed all forms of dissent. Somebody had dared to vocalize what millions of Pakistanis in the country and in the diaspora already knew about the deeply flawed electoral process.
Mir was perhaps referring to pre-election rigging against Pakistan’s most popular political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, as the night wore on, the military and intelligence establishment in collaboration with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) tried to pull off the greatest post-electoral heist in Pakistan’s recent history.
It is no longer sustainable for the U.S. government to continue its support of the Pakistani military and risk its long-term relationship with a population of 240 million, two-thirds of which is under 30.
As soon as the media began reporting that PTI-backed candidates were defeating former prime minister Nawaz Sharif (favored by the military) and other leading candidates in his party, the ECP abruptly withheld and delayed the announcement of results in key constituencies. Several hours later, Pakistanis woke up to an entirely new reality. PTI candidates who had been winning by wide margins and had documentation to prove it, found themselves defeated according to the ECP. Despite “losing” dozens of seats in the process, which they are currently challenging in the courts, PTI-backed candidates still won the highest number of seats in parliament.
Put simply, PTI supporters in Pakistan staged nothing short of a civilian coup against the Pakistani military.
Rather than continue to support the discredited military establishment bent on subverting the will of the people, the Biden administration would do well to support the democratic aspirations of millions of Pakistanis.
Pre-Election Rigging
As the date for parliamentary elections approached, the PTI was stripped of its electoral symbol, and party candidates were forced to contest as independents. The party chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan was convicted on three separate counts and sentenced to a total of 31 years. PTI candidates and their families were targeted, harassed, and assaulted, and many were forced to campaign in hiding.
Voter suppression was rife. People did not know until very late where they would vote, and at times voters within a single family were assigned polling stations hundreds of miles apart. The day before the election, citing security concerns, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that polls would close early, further restricting voter access.
And yet, despite massive pre-poll rigging and voter intimidation, supporters of the PTI came out in droves. Tens of millions exercised their electoral rights and delivered a stunning upset.
Rather than continue to support the military at the expense of democratic processes in Pakistan, the U.S. government would do well to understand the implications of this unprecedented moment in Pakistan’s history.
The Pakistani election demonstrated that despite long periods of direct and indirect military rule in the country, the people of Pakistan continue to have faith in the democratic process. It made clear that the Pakistani military and its intelligence agencies can no longer manipulate electoral processes and outcomes in the face of overwhelming people power. It revealed that the military’s attempts to control the narrative by muzzling the media and targeting journalists no longer work with a population that is technologically adept and social-media savvy. It showed that the military’s iron grip is slipping.
This is a critical moment in Pakistan’s history and for U.S.-Pakistan relations.
Once a venerated institution in Pakistan, the military is now viewed with contempt by millions of Pakistanis in the country and in the diaspora, who blame it for Imran Khan’s ouster. They are now increasingly aware of the insidious role the military leadership played in various chapters of Pakistan’s history: its genocidal actions in 1971 against the Bengalis of East Pakistan, its cultivation of militant groups to advance domestic and foreign policy objectives, its involvement in the enforced disappearances of Pakistani citizens, its collaboration with the CIA in the so-called War on Terror, and its repeated violations of Pakistan’s constitution.
U.S.-Pakistan Relations
It is no longer sustainable for the U.S. government to continue its support of the Pakistani military and risk its long-term relationship with a population of 240 million, two-thirds of which is under 30.
Successive U.S. administrations have relied on the Pakistani military to advance their strategic interests and actively worked to undermine “aggressively neutral” civilian leaders like Imran Khan, who tried to craft independent foreign policies.
It is why the Biden administration remained conspicuously silent in the face of brutal state repression against Imran Khan’s supporters following his ouster two years ago. This indifference continued in the run-up to the election even after widespread reports of pre-poll rigging.
Disillusioned by the administration’s lack of support, many in the Pakistani-American community turned to their elected representatives to garner bipartisan support for House Resolution 901, which called for free and fair elections in Pakistan. They managed to get more than 70 members of Congress to co-sponsor the resolution.
Since the election, and at the behest of Pakistani-American constituents, many of these representatives tweeted their alarm at the massive rigging that took place on election day. Some called on Pakistani authorities to respect the will of the people, while others called for an investigation into the election amid charges of widespread fraud.
This is a critical moment in Pakistan’s history and for U.S.-Pakistan relations. Amid growing anti-Americanism in the nuclear-armed country, the Biden administration has an opportunity to reset its relations with the people of Pakistan. As is being urged by some members of Congress, the administration should stand in solidarity with the Pakistani people and publicly refuse to recognize the results of Pakistan’s election until all irregularities are resolved. Anything short of that will imperil stability in the country as well as in the region. It will also make a mockery of Biden’s rhetoric regarding democratic principles and the rule of law.
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'Head-Spinning Upset' as Imran Khan's PTI Wins Most Seats in Pakistani Election
Independent candidates affiliated with the jailed former prime minister's party staged a shock upset despite allegations of widespread electoral fraud led by Pakistan's military.
Feb 10, 2024
In what many observers called a "shock" result, candidates affiliated with imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party won the most National Assembly seats in a general election that raised international concerns over alleged fraud committed by the country's powerful military.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said Saturday afternoon that independent candidates—93 of them affiliated with Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party—won 100 of 265 contested parliamentary seats. The conservative Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, won 73 seats. Most pollsters had expected the party to win the most seats. The center-left Pakistan People's Party was in third place with 54 seats. Nearly two days after polls closed, results were still not in for 10 seats.
Both Khan and Sharif declared victory Friday, but with none of the three major parties winning the 169 seats required for a parliamentary majority, it remains unclear who will be chosen to lead the nuclear-armed nation of 245 million inhabitants.
As The New York Times' Christina Goldbaum reported from Islamabad:
The success of Mr. Khan's party was a head-spinning upset in an election that the military thought would be an easy victory for Mr. Sharif. Ahead of last week's election, Pakistan's powerful generals had jailed Mr. Khan, arrested candidates allied with him and intimidated his supporters to clear his party from the playing field—or so they thought. Instead, the election results confirmed that Mr. Khan remains a formidable force in Pakistani politics, despite his ouster and subsequent imprisonment...
Mr. Khan, a former cricket star turned populist politician, was sentenced to a total of 34 years in prison after being convicted in four separate cases on charges that included leaking state secrets and unlawful marriage, and that he has called politically motivated.
PTI leaders sounded the alarm on what they said was the military's widespread rigging of at least dozens of races.
The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), a Pakistani civil society coalition, said approximately 60 million Pakistanis voted in the elections and that more than 1.1 million election officials performed their duties well despite the "highly challenging political environment."
"They ensured the integrity of voting and counting processes at the polling stations that largely remained free of controversy... against the backdrop of fears of militant and political violence," FAFEN added.
However, FAFEN lamented "the caretaker government's suspension of cellular and internet services on election day—regardless of the security reasons—undermined years of parliamentary efforts to reform the election results management process through amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, which were meant to maximize the integrity, efficiency, and transparency of electoral outcomes."
The government was also widely criticized for imposing a telecommunications blackout that blocked cell phone and internet service across the country during the election. Government officials said the blackout was necessary for national security reasons after Wednesday's bombings in Balochistan that killed and wounded scores of people. However, critics noted the nationwide nature of the telecom suspension in refuting the government's "security" claims.
In the United States—whose government stands accused of helping to oust Khan—State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Friday expressed concerns over "undue restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly" during the election.
"We condemn electoral violence, restrictions on the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including attacks on media workers, and restrictions on access to the Internet and telecommunication services, and are concerned about allegations of interference in the electoral process," Miller added. "Claims of interference or fraud should be fully investigated."
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Candidates Backed by Imran Khan's PTI Party Take Lead in Pakistan Elections
A member of the military's preferred party called the early results "probably the biggest election upset in Pakistan's political history."
Feb 09, 2024
This is a developing story... Please check back for possible updates...
Early results released Friday by Pakistani officials showed that candidates backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan are currently leading the country's national elections, a stunning development given measures the nation's powerful military took to suppress the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
Members of Khan's party, known as PTI, were forced to run as independents after the nation's Supreme Court and election authorities banned its well-known symbol, a cricket bat. The Associated Press noted that the party also "couldn't hold rallies or open campaign offices, and its online events were blocked."
Friday's tallies from Pakistan's election commission showed that independent candidates backed by PTI have won 62 seats thus far, more than any other party. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League—the preferred party of the nation's military—has won 46 seats.
Results for more than 100 contested seats are still being counted.
Sen. Mushahid Hussain, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League, wrote on social media that the early results mark "probably the biggest election upset in Pakistan's political history."
While PTI supporters welcomed the early results, deep concerns remained over whether their lead would hold amid ongoing tampering allegations.
Just ahead of Thursday's long-delayed election, Pakistani authorities cut off mobile phone and internet services across the country in what human rights groups called an overt attack on the democratic process.
Gohar Ali Khan, PTI's chairman, said late Thursday that "any attempt to change the results overnight will be thwarted and not accepted at any cost by the people of Pakistan or the local and international observers and media."
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Pakistani Government Accused of 'Inherently Undemocratic' Attacks on Election
"This is one of the most controversial and most rigged elections in Pakistan's history," said one parliamentary candidate from jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI party.
Feb 08, 2024
As polling stations closed across Pakistan on Thursday evening, democracy defenders accused the South Asian nation's U.S.-backed government—which banned the country's most popular politician from running for office—of conducting a general election rife with voter suppression and violence.
"This is one of the most controversial and most rigged elections in Pakistan's history," Taimur Jhagra, a parliamentary candidate from the populist Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Al Jazeera. "This is yet another black mark, and it's only because of the fear of the people of Pakistan voting for Imran Khan."
Jhagra was referring to the PTI founder and former prime minister who is imprisoned on what his supporters say are politically motivated charges that disqualified him from seeking office. Khan remains Pakistan's most popular politician.
As preliminary results showed Khan's PTI leading in a strong majority of Pakistan's constituencies, local and international media reported increased presence of military and police forces at polling places. Some observers reported ballot counts being stopped and videos posted on social media showed violence erupting at some polling places.
"After clear and visible chances of victory of Imran Khan's candidates in the preliminary results, the process of results got slowed down alarmingly," PTI chief organizer Omar Ayub Khan and PTI Sen. Syed Ali Zafar said in a joint statement.
"Pakistan elections are a sham without Imran Khan," exiled Pakistani politician and former Khan adviser Shahzad Akbar asserted in an opinion piece published Thursday by Middle East Eye.
Akbar added that "Pakistan has witnessed a terrible time for political dissent."
"The army has launched a massive crackdown on Khan's PTI, with leaders picked up on random charges or reported missing," he noted. "Journalists covering the saga have also
disappeared or turned up dead."
Additionally, the PTI's party offices and candidates' homes have been raided by police. Voters have reportedly been assigned to polling stations that don't match where they live, and Pakistani media outlets have reported faults in the vote tabulation system.
"Pakistan elections are a sham without Imran Khan."
One of the government's most controversial moves was the imposition of a telecommunications blackout that blocked cell phone and internet service across the country. Alp Toker, director of the London-based digital rights group NetBlocks, called the blackout "inherently undemocratic."
Government officials claimed the blackout was ordered for national security reasons following Wednesday's
bombings in Balochistan that killed and wounded scores of people. However, critics noted the nationwide nature of the telecom suspension in refuting the government's rationale.
"I condemn the internet blackout," candidate Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of the center-left Pakistan People's Party told Al Jazeera. "I ask the election commission, the government, and the judiciary to restore it. It will have an impact on voter turnout and coordination."
In the United States—whose government stands accused of playing a key role in ousting Khan—Democratic Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib asserted on social media that "we must stand with the Pakistani people as their democracy is at serious risk."
"They should be able to elect their leaders without interference and tampering with the process, and the U.S. must ensure our tax dollars don't go to anyone undermining that," she added.
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) said that "Pakistanis have the right to elect their leaders without cell phone service shutdowns and other authoritarian practices aimed at undermining election results."
"The U.S. must stand with the Pakistani people and make clear we will not support anyone working to undermine democracy," he added.
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