Nawaz Sharif's party says Pakistan's electoral history not perfect

ISLAMABAD: Terming the 2018 general elections as a "dark chapter" in Pakistan's history, former premier Nawaz Sharif's party on Tuesday said that the country's electoral history was not perfect and this situation had persisted for several decades amid allegations of rigging and manipulations.

"In 2018, Nawaz Sharif was behind bars, he was not allowed to participate in the election. Was it fair back then? and there was no outcry at that time!!" Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui said in the upper house of Parliament.

Sharif, who leads the country's most powerful political family and the PML-N, was disqualified by the Supreme Court from holding public office in 2017 and was also sentenced to 10 years in prison by an accountability court. He couldn't contest the general elections due to his conviction and sentencing.

Speaking in the Senate, Siddiqui said that it was true that Pakistan's electoral history was not perfect and added that this situation had persisted for several decades.

Noting that none of the democratically elected governments were ever allowed to complete their tenure, the PML-N Senator said that the “history of our elections is not exactly the best. But why are we not talking about the 2018 polls?”

"Whatever happened in the 2018 general elections is a dark chapter in the history of our country. A lot happened back then and maybe the same happened this year as well.

"And if the same happened again, then it took place across the country and not just in Punjab or Balochistan. It happened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well,” he said.

In the 2018 general elections, Imran Khan’s party emerged as the single largest party and formed the government in the Centre with the support of other parties. The PML-N lost the elections.

Siddiqui said the irregularities took place everywhere and added “If you suffered from it, so did we.”

“It isn’t fair to say that no rigging took place where you won and vice versa,” he said, recalling that all the allegations levelled by the PTI today were similar to the “injustices” the PML-N faced in 2018.

Referring to the PTI’s recent talks with the JUI-F, Senator Irfan questioned why the Imran-led party does not hold a dialogue with other parties. “Come to the Parliament and register your protest […] it is time that the politics of confrontation ends,” he added.

Independent candidates - a majority backed by Imran Khan's party - won 93 National Assembly seats in the election.

The PML-N won 75 seats while the Pakistan Peoples Party came third with 54 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan has also agreed to support them with their 17 seats.