Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
WASHINGTON DC, 14th Feb. According to Balochistan Post reported on Tuesday that after Pakistan’s general elections, protests have erupted in Balochistan as allegations were raised that there has been electoral interference that has allegedly favored certain political parties.
The election results that were announced on Thursday last week resulted in victories for the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in Balochistan.
The critics alleged that these parties’ candidates in Balochistan enjoyed the backing of the military establishment.
Several political parties are contested the election outcomes and have raised significant concerns over the fairness and integrity of the electoral process, according to The Balochistan Post.
They argued that the military apparatus manipulated the election outcomes in favor of candidates aligned with military interests, especially in areas characterized by lower voter turnout or the absence of polling stations.
Balochistan National Party (Mengal), National Party, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Hazara Democratic Party, along with religious parties, initiated protests on Friday.
They demonstrated, protested, blocked highway and organized sit-ins to draw attention to their grievances, The Balochistan Post reported.
Thousands of protesters gathered outside the election commission offices to hold protests against vote rigging, effectively shutting down large parts of the region.
The protests havespread to both major and minor cities, including Gwadar, Turbat, Chaghi, Dalbandin, Ziarat, Muslim Bagh, and Loralai, according to the local media
ECP on Monday refuted allegations of rigging during the vote count after the February 8 general elections but acknowledged the occurrence of a ‘few irregularities’, ARY News reported.
The emergency meeting in Quetta on Saturday saw these parties discuss grievances over alleged election rigging, their refusal to accept the results, and a decision to launch a joint protest movement in Balochistan against the election outcomes.
They resolved to prevent newly elected candidates from entering the Balochistan Assembly and to initiate a public movement against the establishment’s alleged interference in Balochistan’s political affairs.
The situation was complicated when Jan Muhammad Buledi, the National Party’s General Secretary and candidate for PB-25 Kech 1 claimed to have received death threats from a military officer after accused the military of ballot stuffing in his constituency, The Balochistan Post reported.
Buledi alleged that thousands of votes for the PPP were registered at polling stations shut down due to security concerns.
He stated “How can we accept thousands of fake votes from polling stations where not a single vote was cast? We won’t accept a fake provincial parliament emerging from stolen votes given to the PML-N and PPP.”
The general elections in Balochistan have dealt with significant challenges, including boycott calls from pro-independence political and armed groups, as well as a surge in armed attacks targeting the electoral campaigns.
The Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar, an alliance of armed pro-independence groups, claimed responsibility for 161 attacks in the 11 days lead up to the election, according to The Balochistan Post.
These factors contributed to a lower voter turnout, with elections not being held in many areas across Balochistan, it added.
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