police forcefully disperse protests after accusations of election manipulation

The party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, imprisoned since August 2023, claims that the legislative elections of February 8 “were rigged”.

Tension continues to rise in Pakistan. Police fired tear gas to disperse gatherings of supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday February 11. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had called for demonstrations against alleged fraud in last Thursday’s legislative elections.

Clashes took place in Rawalpindi, south of the capital, and in Lahore, in the east, AFP journalists noted. Dozens of other demonstrations were organized across the country, without incident. The police had earlier warned that “Legal proceedings will be taken against illegal gatherings”under a colonial-era law that prohibits gatherings of five or more people.

Telephone and internet temporarily cut

Imran Khan’s party, imprisoned since August 2023 for corruption, was not allowed to appear on the parliamentary election ballots. Independent candidates, mostly linked to the PTI, won the largest number of seats in the poll, but not enough to form a government.

The authorities’ cutoff of mobile telephone and internet services on Thursday and the slow counting of results also raised suspicions of attempts to manipulate the results by the military, to help the former Prime Minister’s party win. Nawaz Sharif, supported by the army. “Across Pakistan, elections were subtly rigged”the PTI president said on Saturday, calling on his supporters to “demonstrate peacefully” Sunday.

“No party has a simple majority to form a government”comments political analyst Zahid Hussain. “The people have spoken out in favor of Imran Khan”, said the PTI chairman. The head of the Pakistani army on Saturday called on political party leaders to show “political maturity” And “unity”.