An alliance of opposition parties in Pakistan called for new national elections Thursday, accusing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government of suppressing political rivals, curtailing dissent and violating human rights.
The Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan, or the Movement to Safeguard the Constitution, concluded a two-day conference in Islamabad by demanding the release of all political prisoners and rejecting the outcome of parliamentary elections held last year.
“The results of the rigged February 8, 2024, elections bear direct responsibility for the country's prevailing political, economic, and social crisis,” the declaration stated.
It asserted that Pakistan’s parliament lacked “moral, political, or legal standing” because it stemmed from a manipulated vote, and “the only way to resolve the current political crisis is through free, fair, and transparent elections.”
Sharif’s government, believed to be backed by the powerful military, rejects opposition allegations, claiming they are aimed at hindering efforts it is making to reform and stabilize the economy.
Leaders from imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, journalists and civil society representatives were also among the attendees of Thursday’s conference.
The conference occurred a day after U.S. Republican Representative Joe Wilson announced on X that he was “nearly finished drafting” a bill seeking “to restore democracy in Pakistan.”
US concerns
Wilson wrote that his proposed bill “mandates a 30-day determination of sanctions” on Pakistan’s military chief, General Asim Munir, and “reviews all generals & gov[ernment] officials & their families for sanctions.” He did not provide further details.
On Tuesday, Wilson and Republican Representative August Pfluger wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to engage with “the military regime of Pakistan to free Imran Khan.”
VOA contacted the spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry for a response to U.S. lawmakers’ claims but did not receive an immediate reply.
Michael Kugelman, who directs the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, cautioned that Wilson’s proposed bill could be troubling for Pakistan.
“It’s a really big deal if it’s passed. It’s one thing to condemn the assaults on democracy in Pakistan, but it’s a whole new ballgame to threaten sanctions,” Kugelman told VOA in written comments.
“Of course, Congressional action does not represent U.S. policy, but the leadership in Pakistan would not want to see the broader mood on Pakistan in Washington reflected in this way,” he said.
Khan's removal from power
Khan has repeatedly accused Munir of being behind his prosecutions and crackdown on his political party.
The 72-year-old former prime minister was removed from power in April 2022 after failing to secure a vote of confidence from parliament, a move widely viewed as an attempt by the powerful military to silence a popular politician.
His ouster plunged the South Asian nation of more than 240 million people into ongoing political turmoil, undermining Sharif’s attempts to attract foreign and domestic investment to overcome economic woes.
In August 2023, the former cricket star-turned-deposed prime minister was convicted on contested graft charges and jailed. Khan remains embroiled in dozens of other lawsuits that he rejects as politically motivated and alleges the military is behind them to keep him from returning to power.
Khan accuses the Pakistani military of manipulating last year’s elections to prevent his party from winning the vote and enabling Sharif to form a coalition government, charges the military and Sharif reject.
Authorities have also carried out a crackdown on the jailed leader’s party, rounding up hundreds of his workers and leaders, including women, with many of them remaining in custody for nearly two years without being formally charged.
