Everything you need to know about the elections in Pakistan

In total, there are 128 million individuals enrolled for voting in the elections to select 266 representatives on February 8, constituting the 16th parliament through a first-past-the-post system. Out of the 128 million voters, the most substantial segment, comprising 44%, falls below the age of 35, underscoring the pivotal role of the youth vote in these elections. The second-largest voter demographic consists of individuals aged between 36 and 45, making up 22.3% of the electorate. Among the registered voters, women constitute 46% (59.3 million), while men make up 54% (69.2 million) of the total.

On the election day, 90,582 polling stations will be available to accommodate voters casting their ballots. The electoral competition involves 5,121 candidates affiliated with either of Pakistan’s 167 registered political parties or running independently.

The economic crisis was the main subject of the campaign

The elections are unfolding against the backdrop of a persistent economic crisis marked by nearly 30% inflation and a depreciating currency, losing over 50% of its value against the US dollar in the past two years.

Simultaneously, the country entered a nine-month $3 billion bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund in July last year, coinciding with the expiration date aligning with the swearing-in of a new government. Amidst these economic challenges, there has been a surge in attacks from armed factions in recent months, contributing to the overall instability in the country.

In the lead-up to the polls, Imran Khan has faced imprisonment in at least three cases, while former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, previously incarcerated and in exile, has made a return and emerged as a prominent contender again. As the nation grapples with economic uncertainties, it also faces heightened security tensions with three of its four neighbours.

The PMLN

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), a centrist party led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, secured power for the third time in 2013 with a decisive majority.

However, in 2017, at the age of 74, Sharif was ousted from office before completing his term due to a range of corruption charges. Alongside his daughter Maryam, he received a 10-year jail sentence in 2018, just days before the previous national election.

In 2022, Shehbaz Sharif, aged 72 and Nawaz’s younger brother, and the former chief minister of Punjab, assumed the role of prime minister. This transition followed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s participation in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), which successfully orchestrated a vote of no-confidence, toppling Imran Khan and his government. Khan had initially assumed power in 2018.

Known as “Shehbaz speed” by his supporters for his energetic and efficient approach to infrastructure projects, Shehbaz Sharif faced challenges during his 16-month tenure, including hyperinflation and protests led by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan in October after four years of self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom. Shortly after his return, corruption charges against him were overturned in the courts, leading analysts to speculate that he had been chosen by the powerful military as the nation’s next prime minister. The Sharifs’ primary challenge is to regain their support base from Khan, who, despite being in jail under multiple sentences, remains a popular force, particularly among urban youth with a strong digital presence.

The PTI

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, established by former cricketer-turned-politician Khan and currently led by Gohar Ali Khan, aligns more with the center-right of the political spectrum.

Khan ascended to power with a triumph in the 2018 elections. However, in a historic turn of events, the military establishment, seemingly supportive of him initially, later turned against him. Khan was ousted from office through a parliamentary no-confidence vote, marking a significant event in Pakistan’s history.

Accusing the United States of colluding with Pakistan’s military and political rivals to engineer his removal, Khan faced denial from all parties involved. Following his dismissal, Khan’s party organized nationwide protests, calling for early elections.

However, these demonstrations took a dark turn when Khan was arrested in May on corruption charges. In response, his supporters engaged in destructive actions, targeting both civilian and military installations. The ensuing unrest prompted a harsh response from the state, leading to the forced resignation of hundreds of PTI leaders, the arrest of thousands of its workers, and widespread suppression of the party. Khan, facing over 150 cases against him, has been convicted of corruption and disclosing state secrets, potentially facing 14 years in prison. The PTI has been deprived of its electoral symbol, the cricket bat, and its candidates are now compelled to run as independents.

Despite these formidable challenges, the PTI continues to command substantial popular support across the country, a factor that could work to its advantage.

The PPP

The centre-left Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father, Asif Ali Zardari, is aiming to return to power for the first time since 2008.

Founded by his maternal grandfather and former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the party was subsequently led by his mother, two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, at 35 years old, faces the challenge of living up to the legacy of the Bhutto dynasty as he competes in his second election. He previously served as foreign minister under the PDM rule following Imran Khan’s removal in 2022.

Bhutto Zardari stands out as a young leader in a nation where the median age is 20, in contrast to the dominance of older leaders in their 70s. However, he encounters challenges, including criticism of his party’s governance of Sindh over the past four terms, particularly after the devastating 2022 flooding that wreaked havoc on much of the province.

His campaign and manifesto are centered on connecting with the country’s youth, and he has ambitious plans to address climate change. If he were to become prime minister in a significant upset, he would be following in the footsteps of his mother, who assumed the country’s top executive office in 1988 at the same age.

Other small parties

The Awami National Party (ANP), an ethnic Pashtun nationalist party based mainly in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seeks to replace the PTI in the provincial government there.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) was the most powerful political force in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and economic backbone, for nearly three decades. In the past, the MQM-P has always formed alliances with the parties leading the country nationally. It was in coalition with the PTI after the 2018 elections but switched loyalties over to the PDM after April 2022. Most of its support is in Karachi and neighbouring cities, which have large pockets of people who fled there after the subcontinent’s partition in 1947.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) is a right-wing party with its manifesto centred around religion. One of Pakistan’s oldest political parties is well known for its strong party organisation, but it has failed to do well at the ballot box.

The Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) was formed in 2018 with current interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq one of its founders. The party, since its inception, was seen as a group of disparate politicians belonging to various tribes of Balochistan, towing the line of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment.

Formed in June, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) was founded by Jehangir Tareen, one of the richest businessmen in Pakistan and a close confidante and financier of Khan in the past. A large number of PTI leaders, who announced their resignations from the party, soon emerged from the shadows and announced they were joining the IPP. The party is seen as being made up of a large number of electable candidates with strong personal influence in their native  areas. It hopes to win enough seats in the elections to play a part in the formation of the next government.