2024 Pakistani general election

8 February 2024
All 336 seats in the National Assembly 169 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Registered	128,585,760
130x130px 130x130px 130x130px Leader Imran Khan Nawaz Sharif Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Party PTI-affiliated independents PML (N) Pakistan People's Party Last election 31.82%, 149 seats 24.35%, 82 seats 13.03%, 54 seats Seats needed 20 87 115   130x130px 130x130px Leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Fazal-ur-Rehman Party Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan JUI Last election 1.38%, 7 seats 4.85%, 12 seats Seats needed 161 157
300px Map of Pakistan with National Assembly constituencies
Incumbent Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar Independent

General elections were held in Pakistan on 8 February 2024 to elect the members of the 16th National Assembly. The detailed schedule was announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan on 15 December 2023.

In the previous elections, the two major parties were the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), founded by Imran Khan, being the largest party. However, it was forced to field its candidates as Independents after a controversial Supreme Court ruling stripped them of their electoral symbol in the run-up to the elections; Khan was also barred from politics for five years following convictions.

PTI claimed widespread military interference in the election. Multiple foreign media outlets accused the military of rigging the elections in favor of PML-N. Many international observers, including United States, European Union and the United Kingdom have voiced their concerns about the fairness of the elections.

Background

2018 elections

Further information: 2018 Pakistani general election

General elections were held in Pakistan on 25 July 2018 after the completion of a five-year term by the outgoing government. At the national level, elections were held in 272 constituencies, each electing one member to the National Assembly. At the provincial level, elections were held in each of the four provinces to elect Members of the Provincial Assemblies (MPA).

As a result of the elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) became the single largest party at the national level in terms of both popular vote and seats. At the provincial level, the PTI remained the largest party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP); the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) remained the largest party in Sindh and the newly-formed Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) became the largest party in Balochistan. In Punjab, a hung parliament prevailed with Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) emerging as the largest party in terms of directly elected seats by a narrow margin. However, following the support of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and the joining of independent MPAs into the PTI, the latter became the largest party and was able to form the government.

2022 constitutional crisis

Main articles: 2022 Pakistani constitutional crisis, No-confidence motion against Imran Khan, and Lettergate

On 8 March 2022, the opposition parties, under the banner of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), submitted a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan to the National Assembly's secretariat. On 27 March 2022, Khan waved a diplomatic cypher from US in the public, claiming that it demanded the removal of Khan's government in a coup. Later he changed his stance about the US conspiracy against his government, in an effort to mend ties with the country. However, in August 2023, The Intercept claimed to have published the contents of the diplomatic cable which had American diplomat Donald Lu on record as stating that "all will be forgiven" concerning the country's neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, if the no-confidence motion against Khan were to succeed.

On 1 April 2022, Prime Minister Khan announced that in the context of the no-confidence motion against him in the National Assembly, the three options were discussed with "establishment" to choose from viz: "resignation, no-confidence [vote] or elections". On 3 April 2022, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly of Pakistan on Khan's advice after the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly rejected and set-aside the motion of no confidence; this move would have required elections to the National Assembly to be held within 90 days. On 10 April, after a Supreme Court ruling that the no-confidence motion was illegally rejected, a no-confidence vote was conducted and he was ousted from office, becoming the first prime minister in Pakistan to be removed from office by a vote of no confidence. Khan claimed the US was behind his removal because he conducted an independent foreign policy and had friendly relations with China and Russia. His removal led to protests from his supporters across Pakistan.

PDM government

After the success of the no-confidence motion, on 11 April 2022, Shehbaz Sharif became the Prime Minister after receiving 174 votes out of a total of 342, two more than the required majority with the support of Pakistan People's Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and various smaller parties under the coalition of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Dissident members of PTI also supported his candidature. Meanwhile, the remaining PTI members, who were now in the opposition, boycotted the session terming it a continuation of a "foreign conspiracy". A day later, over 100 PTI members tendered resignations from their National Assembly seats.

The PDM government remained in power until 10 August 2023. Sharif's tenure was marked by historically high inflation, contraction of the national economy, and a record devaluation of the Pakistani rupee.

Assassination attempt on Imran Khan and his subsequent arrest

Main articles: Attempted assassination of Imran Khan, 2023 Zaman Park raid, Arrest of Imran Khan, and May 9 riots

Following its ouster from the government, PTI continued to enjoy mass popularity with its supporters taking to the streets across the country. In July 2022, during a provincial by-election in Punjab, the party had a landslide victory after winning 15 of the 20 seats. During October 2022 by-elections conducted for the National Assembly, the party won 7 out of 9 seats with Khan winning 6 of the 7 seats he was contesting for. Later in the year, Khan himself led a well-attended march of protest throughout the populous province of Punjab, to force an early general election. However on 3 November 2022, while he was leading the march through Wazirabad, he was shot at and injured in an attempted assassination.

As Khan was recovering from the gunshot wounds to his leg, the government registered several cases against him and attempted to arrest him from his home in Zaman Park on two different occasions during March 2023. Each time the police were unable to arrest him as his supporters intervened. Then on 9 May 2023, he was violently arrested by paramilitary forces while marking his attendance at Islamabad High Court in a corruption case. The arrest came a day after the country's army warned him for accusing a high-ranking member of the ISI, Major General Faisal Naseer, of being responsible for the assassination attempt in November 2022. Nationwide violence followed, in what were termed as May 9 riots, with some demonstrators targeting military installations. Following the events, a crackdown was initiated against the party by the country's military establishment. PTI's leaders, party workers, and supporters, as well as those perceived to be allied to the party's cause within the media and legal fraternity, were targeted. Trials of civilians within military courts were also initiated. Several core leaders of the party have been in hiding since, with many incarcerated or forced to abandon the party. Subsequently, two pro-establishment splinter groups emerged from within PTI, PTI Parliamentarians (PTI-P), led by Pervez Khattak, and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), led by Jahangir Tareen.

Schedule controversies

In January 2023, in a bid to force early general elections, PTI prematurely dissolved the provincial assemblies it was in power in – namely Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. According to the constitution of Pakistan, after the dissolution of an assembly, elections are supposed to be held there within 90 days, thus, constitutionally limiting the date for the two provincial elections to be no later than April 2023. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delayed the elections to October 2023, citing lack of funds provided by the PDM government and the unavailability of the required security personnel. PTI approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the electoral body's decision, terming it a violation of the constitution, and with a majority verdict the court declared the ECP's earlier ruling as unconstitutional and ordered it to hold elections by 14 May 2023. After the nationwide May 9 riots that broke out following Imran Khan’s arrest – the election date passed without the Supreme Court order being enforced. On 30 May, after the passage of a new law, the PDM government filed a review petition against the court's earlier ruling.

On 10 August 2023, the National Assembly was prematurely dissolved by the President Arif Alvi on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This meant that the election must be held no later than 8 November 2023. However, on 5 August 2023, the results of the 2023 digital census were approved by the Council of Common Interests headed by Shehbaz Sharif. Therefore, elections were to be delayed to February 2024 at the latest, as announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan in order to carry out fresh electoral delimitations in light of the approved census results. Despite that, on 13 September 2023, President Alvi proposed 6 November 2023 as a date to the ECP and advised it to seek guidance from the Supreme Court for the announcement of the election date. On 2 November 2023, the ECP and the President agreed on 8 February 2024 as the date for the general election.

Return of Nawaz Sharif to electoral politics

At the start of May 2023, the PDM government adopted a law that allows for the filing of review petitions against prior Supreme Court verdicts. At the end of June, another law, limiting disqualification to five years, was adopted. It also allows the electoral commission to announce the date of an election without consulting the President of the country.

After serving 12 months of his 7-year sentence on corruption charges, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif left the country on 19 November 2019 to receive medical treatment in London, promising to return in 4 weeks. He was declared a fugitive in 2021 after failing to appear before courts despite summons. Sharif obtained protective bail on 19 October 2023, which allowed him to return from 4 years of self-imposed exile without being arrested. On October 21, he returned to the country where he was welcomed in Lahore by a gathering of tens of thousands of his supporters.

On 9 January 2024, a 7-member Supreme Court bench under Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, hearing a review petition against lifetime disqualification, announced a 6–1 majority verdict with Justice Yahya Afridi dissenting. The verdict set aside the earlier Supreme Court interpretation of lifetime disqualification for article 62(1)(f) of the constitution, stating that it violated fundamental rights, and instead set a 5-year disqualification following the newly passed laws for lawmakers who fail the moral standard of "sadiq and ameen" (honest and righteous). The timing of the verdict ensured that Sharif, who was disqualified for life in the Panama Papers case in 2017, is eligible to contest these elections with a possible fourth term as prime minister.

PTI de facto ban through intra-party election verdict

Main article: PTI intra-party elections case

On 22 December 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided against allowing the PTI to keep its electoral symbol, asserting that the party had failed to conduct intra-party elections to the Commission's satisfaction. Subsequently, on the same day, the PTI appealed to the Peshawar High Court (PHC) challenging the ECP's decision. Consequently, a single-member bench suspended the ECP's order until 9 January 2024. On 30 December 2023, the ECP submitted a review application to the PHC. In the following days, a two-member bench lifted the suspension order while hearing the case. However, on 10 January 2024, the two-member bench deemed the ECP's order "illegal, without any lawful authority, and of no legal effect." Responding to this, on 11 January, the ECP contested the ruling in the Supreme Court.

On 13 January, a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Faez Isa, sided with the ECP, reinstating their initial decision to deny the PTI its election symbol, the cricket bat, due to the party's failure to conduct intra-party elections by its constitution. Consequently, the PTI was unable to allocate party tickets to any of its candidates, resulting in all party candidates being listed as independent candidates with individual electoral symbols. The party also lost the right to nominate candidates for 226 reserved seats across the central and provincial legislatures.

The SCP's decision led some legal experts to describe the ruling as a "huge blow to fundamental rights" and "a defeat for democratic norms."

Imran Khan's convictions

Further information: Legal affairs of Imran Khan

In the week before the elections, Imran Khan was sentenced to jail terms in three separate cases. On 30 January 2024, with the government seeking a death penalty, he was sentenced to 10 years in a case dealing with the handling of state secrets by Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain. A day later, Judge Muhammad Bashir, sentenced him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to a jail term of 14 years, along with a fine of ₨787 million (US$7.7 million) each for retaining a jewellery set that was a state gift from Saudi Arabia against an undervalued assessment from the country's Toshakhana. The ruling also barred Khan from holding public office for 10 years. Two days later, Judge Qudratullah declared the marriage of Khan and his wife against Islamic law and sentenced both to prison for a term of seven years for allegedly solemnizing their marriage during Bushra's Iddah period. The case was lodged on the complaint of Khawar Maneka, Bushra's former husband, five years after her marriage to Khan.

All three trials were held behind closed doors in Adiala Jail, where Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 on corruption charges, and were marked with rushed proceedings, sudden replacement of defendant's lawyers with state consuls, and other procedural irregularities that led his party to term the decisions to be coming from "kangaroo courts". Khan's sentencing in the marriage case was decried by lawyers and members of the civil society as an overreach and a blow to women's rights. Meanwhile, some observers termed the sentencings as a continuation of the Pakistani military's engineering to keep Khan out of power in the upcoming elections. On election day, a PTI official said Khan had been allowed to vote in prison using a postal ballot.

Allegations of pre-poll rigging

Some observers, including the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, have pointed to what appears to be pre-poll rigging in the run-up to the upcoming elections. There have been notable actions against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and its leaders, including snatching of nomination papers, arbitrary arrests of candidates and their supporters, systematic rejection of nomination papers, and disruption of campaign events. This situation has led to widespread allegations of 'election engineering' and manipulative practices that could potentially favour certain political groups, casting doubts over the fairness of the electoral process. Pakistan’s electoral commission was also accused of gerrymandering in favour of PML-N during the redrawing of voter maps before the elections, with a record 1,300 complaints made.

Many candidates affiliated with the PTI complained that following the ban on the usage of the cricket bat as the party’s logo for the ballots, the electoral commission provided them with symbols carrying obscure meanings and sometimes awkward connotations such as a calculator, an electric heater, a dice, a bed, an eggplant, which is deemed anatomically suggestive, and a bottle, which carries suggestions of alcohol consumption in the majority-Muslim country.

Censorship

Further information: Internet censorship in Pakistan

On 26 January 2024, PTI's official website, insaf.pk, and a separate website made for disseminating information regarding the individual electoral symbols of the party's candidates were blocked in Pakistan. A voter helpline created by the party was also blocked. Previously, social media was blocked in the country during the party's virtual electoral events on at least three separate occasions as per internet watchdog, NetBlocks.

Journalists covering the elections reported a 'near-blanket ban' on their ability to cover PTI candidates fairly. News channels allegedly received messages from individuals belonging to Pakistan's military establishment instructing them to remove all references to PTI in their visuals, graphics, and talking points.

Election day violence and disruptions

Widespread internet disruption, with complete closure of mobile phone networks, was observed and condemned by Amnesty International as a blunt attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Several polling stations faced instances of violence, ballot box snatching, vandalism and gunfire.

Electoral system

The 336 members of the National Assembly consist of 266 general seats elected by first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies, 60 seats reserved for women elected by proportional representation based on the number of general seats won by each party in each province, and ten seats reserved for non-Muslims elected through proportional representation based on the number of overall general seats won by each party.

The government had passed a bill that required the next general elections to be held using EVMs (electronic voting machines). This was aimed at ending the allegations of rigging that have plagued previous elections in Pakistan. Still, the opposition's opinion was that it would make it extremely easy for PTI to rig the elections in their favour through security loopholes. In 2022 when the PTI-led government was ousted through a successful vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly, the 11 opposition parties, some of them being long-time rivals, formed a new government and passed the Elections Amendment Bill, which nullified the use of EVMs in the next general elections. Hence, EVMs were not used in the current general elections. Instead paper ballots were once again employed during the elections.

Voting and transmission of results

Registered voters in each polling station of an electoral district get two paper ballots to put a stamp on their preferred candidate for the national and provincial assembly respectively. These ballots are then counted by a presiding officer who then transmits the results for their polling station to the returning officer (RO) in Form 45. Copies of Form 45 are also given to the observing polling agents of the contesting candidates. The RO then consolidates these Form 45s, in front of the contesting candidates of the constituency they are overseeing, to give a provisional result in Form 47. The ECP then uses the data from Form 47 to officially notify elected members for each constituency using Form 49, provided that no candidate contested the unofficial counts given in Form 47.

Timeline

In July 2023 the ECP invited political parties to submit applications for the allocation of electoral symbols, given that about 40% of the Pakistani population is illiterate.

As of 25 July 2023, the total number of registered voters in Pakistan stood around 127 million as compared to 106 million (including 59.22 million men and 46.73 million women voters) in 2018, according to the data released by the ECP. According to the figures, the number of eligible female voters stood at 58.5 million (around 46 per cent of the total registered voters) while the number of eligible male voters was 68.5 million (about 54 per cent of the total voters).

In late September the ECP announced that citizens over 18 can update their voter details until 25 October 2023. The ECP decided to "unfreeze" the electoral rolls to allow registered voters to rectify or update their details.

On 2 November 2023, President Arif Alvi and the ECP agreed on holding general elections on 8 February, after a meeting was held in Aiwan-i-Sadr on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). The SCP had instructed the ECP to consult with the President on the poll date.

On 15 December 2023, the ECP issued the election schedule. It set 22 December as the last date for filing nomination papers. On that day however, the ECP extended the deadline for the submission of nomination papers to 24 December. More than 5,000 people were officially recognized as candidates for the 266 directly-elected seats in the National Assembly, with only 313 of them being women.

Parties

Further information: List of political parties in Pakistan

The table below lists each party that either received a share of the vote higher than 0.5% in the 2018 Pakistan general election or had representation in the 15th National Assembly of Pakistan. Political parties are ordered by their vote share in the 2018 elections. Independent Candidates bagged 11.46% of the vote and 13 national assembly seats (both general seats and total seats in the 15th National Assembly, as reserved seats for women and minorities, are given to political parties) in 2018.

Name			Flag	Claimed ideology(ies)	Leader	Voteshare in 2018	General seats won in 2018	Seats before election
	PTI	Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf پاکستان تحريکِ انصاف	100px	Populism Islamic democracy Welfarism Civic nationalism	Imran Khan	31.82%	116 / 272	149 / 342
	PML(N)	Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) پاکستان مسلم لیگ (نواز)	100px	Conservatism Economic liberalism Federalism	Nawaz Sharif	24.35%	64 / 272	82 / 342
	PPP	Pakistan People's Party پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی	100px	Social democracy Islamic democracy Progressivism Third Way	Bilawal Bhutto Zardari	13.03%	43 / 272	58 / 342
	JUI-F	Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) جمیعت علماءِ اسلام (ف)		Islamism Conservatism	Fazl-ur-Rahman	4.85%	11 / 272	14 / 342
	JI	Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan جماعت اسلامی پاکستان	Error creating thumbnail: sh: /usr/local/bin/rsvg-convert: not found	Islamism Islamic revivalism Social conservatism	Siraj-ul-Haq		1 / 272	1 / 342
	MQM(P)	Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan متحدہ قومی موومنٹ(پاکستان)	100px	Liberalism Social liberalism Social democracy Muhajir nationalism Secularism	Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui	1.38%	6 / 272	7 / 342
	TLP	Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan تحریک لبیک پاکستان	100px	Islamism Far-Right	Saad Hussain Rizvi	4.21%	0 / 272	0 / 342
	AML	Awami Muslim League Pakistan عوامی مسلم لیگ پاکستان	100px	Islamism Populism	Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad	0.22%	1 / 272	1 / 342
	JWP	Jamhoori Wattan Party جمہوری وطن پارٹی	100px	Baloch nationalism	Shahzain Bugti	0.04%	1 / 272	1 / 342
	MQM-London	Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London متحدہ قومی موومنٹ	100px	Social LiberalismSecularism Muhajir Nationalism	Altaf Hussain	0%	0 / 272	0 / 342
	MQM-H	Mohajir Qaumi Movement Pakistan مہاجر قومی موومنٹ پاکستان	100px	Liberal Socialism Secularism Muhajir Nationalism	Afaq Ahmed	0%	0 / 272	0 / 342
	GDA	Grand Democratic Alliance گرینڈ ڈیموکریٹک الائنس	100px	Regionalism Opposition to PPP	Pir of Pagaro VIII	2.37%	2 / 272	3 / 342
	ANP	Awami National Party عوامی نيشنل پارٹی	100px	Pashtun nationalism Democratic socialism Secularism	Asfandyar Wali Khan	1.54%	1 / 272	1 / 342
	MWM	Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen مجلس وحدتِ مسلمین	100px	Islamic Socialism Shia-Sunni Unity Islamic Democracy	Allama Raja Nasir Abbas	0%	0 / 272	0 / 342
	PML(Q)	Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid e Azam) پاکستان مسلم لیگ(قائد اعظم)	100px	Conservatism Pakistani nationalism	Shujaat Hussain	0.97%	4 / 272	5 / 342
	BAP	Balochistan Awami Party بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی	100px	Federalism Islamic democracy	Khalid Hussain Magsi	0.60%	4 / 272	5 / 342
	BNP(M)	Balochistan National Party (Mengal) بلوچستان نيشنل پارٹی(مینگل)	Error creating thumbnail: sh: /usr/local/bin/rsvg-convert: not found	Baloch nationalism Democratic socialism Secularism	Akhtar Mengal	0.45%	3 / 272	4 / 342
	PML(Z)	Pakistan Muslim League (Z) پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ض)	100px	Islamism Populism Reformism	Ijaz-ul-Haq		0 / 272	0 / 342

Opinion polls

Main article: Opinion polling for the 2024 Pakistani general election

In August 2023, the ECP imposed a total ban on entrance and exit polls including those on official digital media accounts of electronic and print media outlets.

Last date of polling	Polling firm	Link	PTI	PML(N)	PPP	MMA	TLP	Other	Ind.	Lead	Margin of error	Sample size	Undecideds & Non-voters
30 June 2023	Gallup Pakistan	PDF	42%	20%	12%	4%	4%	5%		22%	±2.5%	3,500	13%
3 June 2022	IPOR (IRI)	PDF	39%	33%	12%	7%	4%	5%		6%	±2 – 3%	2,003	25%
21 March 2022	IPOR (IRI)	PDF	35%	33%	19%	6%	4%	3%		2%	±2 – 3%	3,509	16%
31 January 2022	Gallup Pakistan	PDF	34%	33%	15%	6%	3%	9%		1%	±3 – 5%	5,688	33%
9 January 2022	IPOR (IRI)	PDF	31%	33%	17%	3%	3%	11%	1%	2%	±2 – 3%	3,769	11%
11 November 2020	IPOR (IRI)	PDF	36%	38%	13%	4%	3%	6%		2%	±3.22%	2,003	32%
13 August 2020	IPOR (IRI)	PDF	33%	38%	15%	3%	3%	8%		5%	±2.95%	2,024	26%
30 June 2020	IPOR (IRI)	PDF	24%	27%	11%	3%	2%	33%		3%	±2.38%	1,702	N/A
24 June 2019	Gallup Pakistan	PDF	31%	28%	15%	5%	21%			3%	±3 – 5%	~1,400	N/A
22 November 2018	IPOR (IRI)	PDF	43%	27%	15%	1%	1%	11%	1%	16%	±2.05%	3,991	22%
25 July 2018	2018 Elections	ECP	31.8%	24.3%	13.0%	4.8%	4.2%	10.3%	11.5%	7.5%	N/A	53,123,733	N/A

Security concerns and violence

The Election Commission of Pakistan categorised half the country’s 90,675 polling stations as either "sensitive", meaning there is a risk of violence, or "most sensitive", indicating a higher risk. The classifications were based on the area’s security situation and history of electoral violence. In Balochistan Province alone, caretaker provincial home minister Muhammad Zubair Jamali said that almost 80% of its 5,028 polling stations had been declared "sensitive".

Pre-poll violence

On 25 January 2024, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan pledged not to stage attacks on election rallies and would limit itself to attacking military and police targets during the election period. This followed the government's decision to deploy troops in sensitive constituencies after intelligence agencies warned that militants could target rallies.

Two candidates were killed during the election campaign. On 10 January, Malik Kaleem Ullah, an independent candidate for the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was shot dead while on a door-to-door sortie, while on 31 January, Rehan Zaib Khan, an independent candidate affiliated with the PTI, was killed after gunmen opened fire on his car in a market in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in an attack that also injured three people and was claimed by the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K). On 30 January, four people were killed and five others injured in an explosion during a PTI rally in Sibi, Balochistan Province, while on 31 January, 15 people were injured in attacks on residences and offices of PPP candidates and the election office of the PML-N in Balochistan, which was partially claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army. On 7 February, 29 people were killed in explosions outside an independent candidate's office and an office of the JUI-F in Balochistan. Both attacks were claimed by ISIS-K.

Incidents on election day

The Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the closure of its borders with Iran and Afghanistan on the eve of the general elections on 8 February, as a measure to enhance security.

Ten minutes before polling stations opened, the interior ministry announced the suspension of mobile internet services across the country, citing recent terrorist incidents. NetBlocks director Alp Toker called the outage "amongst the largest" that they had observed. The PPP's Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded that the government restore services and said its lawyers would challenge the decision in court. The PTI called the outage a "cowardly act".

In Balochistan, grenades were thrown at two polling stations by unidentified individuals. At the same time, a soldier was killed in an attack by gunmen in Kot Azam, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Five security personnel were killed in an attack in Kulachi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while a polling station in the same province was shelled by mortars. Two security officers were killed and nine wounded by an explosion near a polling station in Lajja, Balochistan, while two people were injured following 14 "minor blasts" in Gwadar.

Post-election violence

On 9 February, two PTI workers were killed and 24 others were injured after clashes broke out between police and PTI supporters demonstrating against alleged electoral fraud in Shangla District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On 10 February, Mohsin Dawar, the leader of the National Democratic Movement who was running for a national assembly seat in North Waziristan, was seriously injured in a gun attack in Miranshah. On 11 February, six people, including a police officer, were killed and five others were injured in election-related clashes in Larkana, Sindh.

Results

See also: List of members of the 16th National Assembly of Pakistan

Unofficial early count data showed PTI-backed Independents leading in 148 constituencies, with PML-N leading in 43, and PPP leading in 47. Others led in 27 seats. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a statement clarifying that media reports on election results sourced from the Commission sources were inaccurate, emphasizing that no official results had been released. PTI officials claimed that the official results were being tampered with, with cumulative polling stations' results of their candidates not tallying with the provisional final counts being issued by result officers. Several PTI-backed candidates from three of Pakistan's four provinces, as well as Islamabad, challenged these allegedly doctored final counts in the courts. On 10 February, in an AI-generated victory speech from prison, Imran Khan claimed that based on completed forms provided by polling agents, his party had won a two-thirds majority. Nawaz Sharif, whose party won a plurality of seats in parliament, said that he would seek to build a governing coalition with the PPP. Since the election, at least six winning independent candidates to the National Assembly have since announced that they would be joining the PML-N, including PTI-affiliated candidate Waseem Qadir, who was previously a PML-N member until 2018.

Despite assurances that official results would be released early on 9 February, the ECP only started releasing results more than 15 hours after polls closed, at noon on that day, citing complications brought about by the internet outage on election day. The electoral body had earlier assured that their system will not be affected by any kind of internet outage, and can work offline. The Ministry of Interior cited communication challenges for the delay in election result compilation, attributing it to security precautions. These measures, aimed at ensuring the safety of personnel and ballots, led to the extended processing time. However, the Ministry assured that the situation was now under control and expected the results to follow suit.

However, despite the restoration of mobile signals in the early hours of 9 February, the results still faced delays. The declaration of provisional results was not done until the late hours of 10 February, more than two days after the vote count had started.

Allegations of rigging

The Economist called the delay in announcing the election results as unusual, even by Pakistan's standards, saying that signs of tampering were "plentiful."

Salman Akram Raja, a PTI leader and candidate was quoted in The Guardian saying that he has pursued legal action, referring to the military's involvement by stating, "They decided to rewrite the results." The PTI claimed that the results of at least 18 National Assembly seats were "falsely changed" by election officers, while at least six of its losing affiliated candidates launched legal appeals questioning the results, including Yasmin Rashid, who lost to Nawaz Sharif in a Lahore constituency.

Jan Muhammad Buledi, a former spokesperson of the Balochistan provincial government and secretary general of the National Party was quoted in The Guardian as saying that he received a direct death threat from an army colonel after he publicly accused the military of stuffing the ballot boxes with fake votes in the constituency where he was a candidate.

Awami National Party provincial president for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Aimal Wali Khan in a press conference rejected the results of the elections, claiming they were already decided before voting began. He admitted their past cooperation with the establishment was a mistake and vowed not to work with them anymore. He also accused the military of using the country's resources for their own benefit.

International analysis

See also: Electoral fraud in Pakistan

The New York Times wrote the election results had caught many off guard, as the PML-N was widely anticipated to secure a landslide victory with the backing of the military. The report noted that voters expressed frustration with the military's interference in politics and opted to vote for PTI candidates in defiance of the military generals. It went on to say the election results had humiliated the military establishment and started a new political crisis in the country. Another article by the same newspaper said that the growing public discontent with military interference in politics is likely to pressure Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir, with his only options being to reconcile with Imran Khan or push forward with an anti-Khan coalition, which many analysts believe would be weak and unsustainable.

The Washington Post wrote that the election results were a humiliation for Nawaz Sharif, despite being seen as the favored candidate of the Pakistani military, which had held significant influence in determining the prime minister.

France 24 called the election "The ‘generals’ elections’ which turned against the military". It also dubbed the election as the “most rigged” in the country’s history saying the military was seen as backing Nawaz Sharif. According to TIME, the Pakistani military did everything to "sideline Imran Khan—and failed," but said that the military was continuing to try and prevent the PTI from returning to power.

Ryan Grim in an article published by The Intercept said that the historic turnout in Pakistan was swamping the military's effort to rig the election and that the military has proved unable to suppress the populist movement interrogating its authority. According to The Economist, reports suggest that the despite their efforts, the military leadership did not seem to have as much control as they believed to prevent Khan from winning. It also said the election outcome was a strong message to military and could potentially mark a shift in its influence over Pakistani politics, while adding that a prolonged period of political instability could occur in the short-term. It called the electoral process "dubious" which was preceded by a coordinated campaign by the military against Imran Khan.

The Guardian noted that suspicions of military rigging arose during election day due to a nationwide mobile phone blackout and the slow counting of results, leading to concerns that the military was exerting influence to secure the PML-N's success. It added that the military's attempts to influence the election appeared to have been thwarted, particularly due to the PTI's effective utilization of social media, given the significant levels of illiteracy in the country. In a separate article, The Guardian noted analysts' views that the election results and potential weak coalition government align with the military's interests, protecting their political and business agendas.

Prominent Pakistani columnist Khurram Husain was quoted in the Financial Times as saying that Pakistan will experience not only the influence of the military but also a collaborative endeavor involving the judiciary and major political parties to thwart the PTI from assuming power.

The New York Post, referencing the New York Times article, stated that this election marks the initial instance in Pakistan's history where a party has achieved such success without the support of the military and this will spark a new political chaos in the country. According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation the election results did not unfold as per the military's expectations and had shaken the elite. Hasan Askari Rizvi was quoted as saying, "This is a negative vote for the policies that the military was pursuing.".

Sameer Arshad Khatlani in an opinion piece for the Dhaka Tribune wrote "Election results seem to be blowing up in the military establishment’s face which attempted to make Imran Khan irrelevant by jailing him, cracking down PTI". Lipika Pelham wrote for the BBC saying despite PTI-backed independents winning the majority of seats in parliament, they were unlikely to be permitted to form a government.

During an interview with The Wire, Najam Sethi remarked that Imran Khan and the PTI had strongly resisted the influence of the military, which led to the latter resorting to last-minute rigging efforts. Firstpost wrote that the Pakistani military had experienced a setback, at least temporarily, with public sentiment turning against it. It also noted that allegations of electoral fraud by the military put Western countries in a difficult position, given their historic support of the military to ensure the security of the country's nuclear arsenal. It added that "General Asim Munir's tenure may be remembered as one of the darkest for the army, with its reputation suffering greatly under his leadership." It also raised concern over Munir's post-election speech, describing it as uncommon. The Times of India also described Munir as the primary loser of the election. The Indian Express wrote that the unexpected success of the PTI forced the military to manipulate results to avoid an unfavorable outcome. Consequently, there were delays in announcing results, and internet and mobile services were suspended in numerous regions. Meanwhile, Pakistani social media platforms were flooded with videos depicting alleged rigging and manipulation. The Deccan Herald wrote that although the election results represented a significant setback for the military, and would potentially undermine General Munir's position, but it was unlikely that the military will relinquish its influential role in determining the next Prime Minister.

According to Al Jazeera, numerous analysts suggest that Sharif's return into electoral politics was made possible due to the military's decision to support him in the election. However, despite this tacit support from the military, Sharif failed to win.

Provisional results by party

The election was postponed in the NA-8 Bajaur constituency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the killing of candidate Rehan Zaib Khan. Provincial assembly elections were also postponed in the constituencies of PK-22 and PK-91 (both in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) due to the deaths of candidates there.

Reruns

The ECP ordered elections to be held again in the NA-88 Khushab-II constituency in Punjab after a mob destroyed election materials at the office of the returning officer. Elections were also ordered repeated in the provincial assembly constituencies in PS-18 Ghotki-I in Sindh and PK-90 Kohat-I in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after election materials were either stolen or destroyed.

International observers

In October 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued invitations to foreign election observers, emphasizing transparency in the election process. Before the elections, Pakistan received visa applications from 81 foreign journalists and 38 international observers. Visa applications were processed, and accreditation was made mandatory for foreign observers upon arrival in Pakistan. Eligible applicants were in the process of being approved with visas. The Pakistan High Commission in London issued visas to 37 British journalists, including prominent figures such as Christina Lamb of The Times. These journalists, along with teams from other major international media organizations, are set to cover the election proceedings in Pakistan.

Aftermath

Protests were held by the PTI and other parties in cities across Pakistan to protest alleged electoral fraud. Dozens were arrested following protests in Lahore while highways were blocked in Balochistan.

On 12 February, Jahangir Tareen and Pervez Khattak announced their decision to retire from politics entirely, while Siraj-ul-Haq resigned from his position as the emir of Jamaat-i-Islami.

Reactions

Domestic

After polling closed, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar said that the elections were a "momentous occasion". He praised the enthusiasm of the people of Pakistan and expressed appreciation for their participation in the polling process, adding that "the high voter turnout is a clear indication of public commitment to shaping the future of our country."

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja thanked the nation for the successful election and expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, including government bodies, security agencies, media, and voters. He urged returning officers to ensure timely results delivery. The Pakistan Armed Forces, through its media wing ISPR, extended congratulations to the nation for the peaceful conduct of the general elections, emphasizing their role in advancing democracy and fulfilling the aspirations of the people. Chief of the Army Staff Asim Munir urged citizens to move on from the politics of "anarchy and polarization", adding that a stable hand was needed to unite "Pakistan's diverse polity", and to make "democracy functional and purposeful".

President Arif Alvi, stated that the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) could have averted the uncertainty surrounding the election results and reminded of his efforts to introduce them in the country's electoral process.

In a message from jail, Imran Khan claimed that the PTI won 170 seats, achieving a two-thirds majority in the 2024 elections. He emphasized the power of the electorate and called for the protection of their votes.

The Pakistan Foreign Ministry in a statement expressed surprise at international criticism regarding the elections, citing the complexity of the electoral process and the strong participation of millions of voters.

The day after the election, the Pakistan Stock Exchange shed 2,200 points on opening, or 3.6% of its value, as delayed results and prospects of a hung parliament loomed.

Dawn in its editorial titled "Respect the mandate" stated it is becoming increasingly clear that there is widespread anger and resentment towards the military's continuous involvement in civilian affairs, and urged the armed forces to abandon its grudge against the PTI. It added that "though the public’s decision was quite evident, some quarters still attempted to stamp their will over the election results." It also noted that "the state must realise that, sometimes, a vote for the underdog is a vote against the establishment". Dawn referred to the largest number of independent candidates winning in a party-based election as a significant development in Pakistan's electoral history, describing it as a "seismic shift" and a clear message from the public that sidelining PTI and depriving them of their election symbol would not alter the election's trajectory.

The Express Tribune in its editorial stated "the fact that the people of Pakistan have made a choice, and have voted for parliamentary democracy must come as a soothing consolation." Hamid Mir stated that PML-N supporters claimed to have received more votes on the day after the election.

International

• Australia – The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in a press statement expressed regret saying that "the Pakistani people were restricted in their choice, since not all political parties were allowed to contest these elections."
• European Union – High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell called for upon the relevant authorities to "ensure a timely and full investigation of all reported election irregularities and to implement the recommendations of the upcoming EU Election Expert Mission report."
• United Kingdom – Foreign Secretary David Cameron in a statement noted "serious concerns raised about the fairness and lack of inclusivity of the elections" while also acknowledging "the restrictions imposed on internet access on polling day, significant delays to the reporting of results and claims of irregularities in the counting process".
• United States – State Department spokesman Matthew Miller called for a "full investigation into the claims of interference or fraud" during the elections while reiterating to work with whoever forms the next government. Several US lawmakers expressed concerns over the conduct of polls, poll-related violence, and restrictions on freedom of speech. Several lawmakers also called on the Biden administration to refrain from acknowledging the election results and the incoming government in Pakistan until purported irregularities are thoroughly investigated including Congressman Ro Khanna who also alleged that the Pakistani military was backing Nawaz Sharif.

See also

• 2024 Pakistani provincial elections
• 2024 Punjab provincial election
• 2024 Sindh provincial election
• 2024 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election
• 2024 Balochistan provincial election
• 2024 Pakistani presidential election