The most controversial elections in the recent history in Pakistan are over. Finally the puppet of the establishment, Imran Khan, appears to have managed to win power. However, there is no credibility in the initial results, as almost all the major political parties have rejected them. The reason is pre-poll rigging and the unusual delay in announcing the results in the constituencies.
The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf appears to have won around 117 seats in the National Assembly, while Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N managed to win 63 seats. It was expected that in order to rule from behind the curtains, the military establishment would bring in a new puppet.
The encouraging thing, however, is that in the province of Punjab, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has emerged as the single largest party and it will likely form a government in that province – depending on the approval of the military establishment. Meanwhile the Pakistan Peoples Party will form a government in the province of Sindh.
Nothing has changed, as it is the same old script – throw the popular leader out of the power and then bring in a puppet with a fractured mandate and a very thin majority so he can be manipulated easily.
Imran Khan is the new mask of the invisible forces who have ruled this country for the last 71 years. PML-N was doomed when Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz took charge of the electoral campaign. Shahbaz undermined the narrative of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif and in his efforts to appease the establishment he lost the momentum and pace set by Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.
Of the opposition parties, the Asif Ali Zardari-led PPP will be the happiest of all as it somehow managed to retain the seats from the province of Sindh. But more than any political player it is the military establishment that will be feeling happy as it got the desired result. A coalition government of PTI in the center and the Shahbaz Sharif-led PML-N with the support of independents or the PPP in the province of Punjab is an ideal situation for them as both leaders will be dictated to easily.
However, the war of narratives is not over. Sharif’s narrative of “respect my vote” is pretty much alive and a sizable population in Punjab believes in it. If Sharif could only have trusted real political workers like Mushaidullah Khan, Pervaiz Rashid or Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, things would have been different for him. By choosing an anti-establishment path, the mistake Sharif made was relying on his brother and the other stalwarts of the party who do not want to challenge the status quo. Probably time will teach him that this path needs a team that is clear in vision and not afraid to take on the powers that be.
In any case, victory is victory, and it is not important how PTI won. What is important is how Imran Khan acts from now on: That will determine the future course of the country and of PTI itself.
His victory speech from his residence in Islamabad was good, as unlike his past rhetoric and tall claims, he talked about smoothing relations with India, along with the promise to address all the complaints about the rigging of the general elections. This is a good start – with the army establishment at his back, Khan will find it easy to start a dialogue with India and to devise a new foreign policy regarding China and Afghanistan dictated by the military establishment.
If somehow Khan can deliver on the economic front and if he can initiate some development mega-projects in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, he might be able to get out of the shadow of the military establishment. The problem lies with the establishment, not with the politicians; as long as the military machine is in power and is controlling proceedings from behind the curtains, no politician will be able to address the basic flaws in the system. One hopes that Imran Khan will not meet the same fate as Sharif and Zulfikar Bhutto.
The shrewd generals of the military establishment have achieved their target: Each and every voice that questioned their invisible rule is being silenced, and anti-establishment politicians like Mahmood Achakzai and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi lost the election. So Imran Khan has a very tight rope to walk on as the military establishment will not allow him to do much when it comes to foreign policy and the defense budget.
As for Sharif’s PML-N, it is the time to realize that if it wants to exist in this modern era, it needs to take a stand on principles rather than just concentrating on grabbing power. Sharif and Maryam Nawaz stood for principles, but Shahbaz Sharif with his obedience to the military proved very costly for the PML-N.
In any case, it is the military-backed Imran Khan who will run the show and it will take years of patience for Sharif’s PML-N to gather itself again and pose a serious threat to the invisible rule of the establishment. For now, it is the military generals’ man Imran Khan who has won the general election, and civilian and democratic supremacy still remains a dream in Pakistan.
Dear Asia Times, strange that you allowed a puppet of our former corrupt and liar government to write an article for you. Wasn’t expecting this from you.
You seem to focus on Pak-India relations more than any other issue, are you India pupet writer? Pakistan has many internal problems to solve, then comes foreign relations.
Election 2018 was free and fair. Pakistan Election Commission was responsible for conduction the Elections. Pakistan Army has facilitated the law and order maintenance.
People of Pakistan has decided to Elect Imran Khan as Prime Minister of Pakistan. We trust him and no body can undo it. It is the decision of people. No one should object.
Trump, Imran – anti-establishment, pro Military.
Of 5 living civilizations (Hellenized West, Christian Russia, Islam, Indics, Sinics) 3 are agrarian, only 2 (Free world, Islam) are trade-based.
US and Pak, de-facto leaders of these 2 blocks, are birds of the same feather in origins, history trajectory, and future. Traits that bind Pak/US:
1. Same National Symbol – Eagle soaring free above the clouds: Individualists, freedom-loving government-hating
2. Manifest Destiny – Global universal vision. Extra-Territoriality
3. De facto leaders, newest nations, founded as Republics, against Democracy (of PMs Frederick Lord North and Nehru)
4. Weak State, Lowest law abidance, Lowest tax
5. Military tradition and Industrial Complex, guns, armament, violence, regime changes
6. Largest population, Largest family size, Fastest Growth, Widest Gene Pool; Net population influx
7. Profoundly religious, God fearing, Charitable, Generous, Hospitable, Poor-friendly, Resilient
8. Drugs, sex, unique musicality – Jazz, hip-hop / Qawwali
9. Lowest literacy and education, anti-intellecual, innovative, practical sense of humour
10. Extremely mobile, multicultural, multilingual, mixed language
11. Freest lively Media, Reality and talk shows
12. Born Free Enterprising, Negotiating, deal making, positive public attitude to business US #1, Pakistan #2
13. Efficient markets, cheapest living
14. Can survive without trade – feed population with borders shut.
Jinnah in 1947 interview to Life magazine predicted Pakistan to be the "pivot". As a Cold War frontline, US-Pakistan achieved much – demise of the USSR.
Nations evolve. Now Pak and China morph themselves to new common traits, and Pak will be a pivot again, a great loss to the US.
The logic projected in this article is quite lame and appears very ironical, at one hand the writer says, this election is rigged by military, and on the other hand he says PML N is in a strong position to form government in the key province Punjab. This undermines the neutral credibility of the writer, Coz, he appears to be a blind supporter of the PML N. When PMLN wins it doesn’t involve any rigging and where PTI is victorious, it’s highly controversial. Unlike PMLN Imran khan has openly declared than he is not only ready to open the controversial constituencies but also will provide full support to investigate. After such a bold statement, the protesters must stop levelling the false allegations and should come up with concrete evidence about the so called rigging. Mere allegations are no longer the solution to their unjustifiable pain.
wrong analysis. It was free election. No rigging. Army like PTI like all educated citizens but election were free
Very idiotic analysis. Election was 100% free.
Nothing new from the same delusional author who is badly out of touch with reality. Of late, the foreign policy has been been controlled by the establishment and will be in the forseable future because idiots like Zardari and NS had started selling out national interests to the west for personal gains.
The only principle NS family and his party knew was to loot and plunder the country to bare bones. It all had to catch up sooner or later. The icing on the cake will be Zardari in jail and return of looted wealth back to the country.
Truth is always bitter
It’s better to be the general’s man than a sellout like you. I think it’s about time Imran Khan’s party settle some old scores with you and your friend, kunwar Khuldune.