Pakistan’s Military Wields More Influence Ahead of National Election: Wallstreet Journal

[Sugarcane]

Was it OK when Gen. Kayani used military influence in last general election to help PML-N form government single handedly?

 

[Finer]

That is bad news. Perception is everything. If the world sees Imran Khan as lackey of the main establishment while being tool to serve the interest of the main establishment, then no one in right mind [investors] would invest in Pakistan.

PMLN was different story but if PTI is continued as perceived to be the tool of the main establishment, then the damage is done. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Was it OK when Gen. Kayani used military influence in last general election to help PML-N form government single handedly?

It is allegation without evidence and even then, PMLN always had strong clashes with the main establishment. PMLN was perceived as democratic political party despite being the product of main establishment.

Whereas PTI is perceived as the tool of main establishment which also shows that Imran Khan is nothing but puppet that follows the narrative of the main establishment. The worlds want the champion of democracy which Imran Khan was being geared towards to that image but now, that alone perception is killing not just PTI but also the future of Pakistan in terms of economical as well if true.

 

[Crystal-Clear]

Pakistan’s Military Wields More Influence Ahead of National Election

Intelligence arm goes behind the scenes, using carrots and sticks to persuade voting blocs to switch allegiances to parties military can control, politicians and human-rights groups say

By
Saeed Shah and
Waqar Gillani
July 20, 2018 8:00 a.m. ET

LAHORE, Pakistan—This nation’s military is working behind the scenes to manipulate this month’s election to try to produce a government it can better control, politicians and human-rights groups said.

The military’s intelligence arm is carrying out a campaign of persuasion, intimidation and threats, politicians who have experienced it said, in an effort to get them to change parties and to pressure key local voting blocs to switch allegiance.

The drive particularly targets the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who military officers have privately said is too soft on traditional foe India, and looks to help the avowedly pro-military party of former cricket star Imran Khan. To achieve this, the military is working closely with police, local officials and the anticorruption watchdog—all institutions over which they have considerable sway, these politicians said.

Mr. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was expected to put up a strong challenge in the July 25 election, but in a closely fought battle with Mr. Sharif’s party, the military’s role could make the difference, some experts said. A contested result risks future instability for this country of 200 million, politicians warn. The military denies trying to influence the election.

Head to HeadSupport for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif'sPakistan Muslim League-N crumbled in recent weeksahead of the July 25 election, as the pro-militaryPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of former cricketerImran Khan continued its ascent.Voting intentions for Pakistan's national assemblyelectionSource: Institute for Public Opinion Research in-person polls,latest of 3,375 adults conducted June 13-July 4; margin of error:+/-2 pct. pts.Note: Tracks major parties only
%2013 general electionPakistan Muslim League-NPakistan Tehreek-e-InsafPakistan Peoples Party2014’15’16’17’180510152025303540
Mr. Khan’s party must make huge inroads in the province of Punjab, Mr. Sharif’s stronghold, which carries more than half the seats in Parliament.

“This is an engineered election,” said Riazul Haq, who is running for re-election in Okara, in central Punjab, from Mr. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N party. “Every tool is being used to divide Nawaz Sharif’s party and break his vote bank.”

Mr. Haq said that two months ago, he was called to a meeting by officials he wouldn’t name and told to join Mr. Khan’s party, with the promise of being its candidate in the election. He declined.

“Then my trial began,” he said.

Later in May, the country’s anticorruption agency, the National Accountability Bureau, said it is investigating him for embezzling public money meant for local road construction. He said he has no role in the spending of these funds.

“Our supporters are being forced to withdraw backing for us and some of them have done it out of fear,” Mr. Haq said.

Pakistan’s army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, says ‘people should come out and vote for whoever they want.’PHOTO: XINHUA /ZUMA PRESS
The military has staged coups in the past, but since democracy was restored in 2008, it has sought to determine policy without formally taking over. Mr. Sharif, whose party was in office until these elections, had resisted, calling for an end to the nuclear-armed standoff with India and for action against jihadist groups in Pakistan. This month, Mr. Sharif was imprisoned for 10 years for corruption, in a case his party says is politically motivated.

Before being jailed, Mr. Sharif said “irreparable damage” had been done to the election process and alleged that the push to “force” politicians to leave his party is being run by a deputy chief of the military’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency, Maj. Gen. Faiz Hameed.

The military denies the charge and said Maj. Gen. Hameed’s job is counterterrorism.

“We have no political alignment,” the military’s spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, said at a press conference this month. “People should come out and vote for whoever they want.”

It isn’t unusual to change parties here, but doing so under pressure is alarming, some politicians said. At least 21 of Mr. Sharif’s 126 lawmakers in Punjab defected to Mr. Khan’s party, while others went independent, hemorrhaging particularly in the south of the province.

Politicians from around Pakistan said they were approached by intelligence officials and promised spots on Mr. Khan’s ticket and in some cases even ministries in a Khan-led government.

Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a spokesman for Mr. Khan’s party, said the ticket allegation is “without substance.” He said Mr. Sharif’s party “knows it’s losing the race so they are trying to create the perception of rigging.”

Supporters of Shahbaz Sharif, the younger brother of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the head of Pakistan Muslim League-N, chant slogans at a campaign rally in Pindi Gheb, in the district of Attock, in the Punjab province, on July 19. PHOTO: AAMIR QURESHI/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
Yet, complaints of military interference have come from politicians from all four Pakistani provinces, human-rights groups and political parties said. Pressure has also been put on the media, which has muted reporting and opinion critical of the military, undermining scrutiny of this election process.

The military’s aim has been to skew the electoral landscape in the weeks before the vote, some experts say, with the hope of producing a weak coalition government. Polls point to such a government, which could be led by Mr. Khan’s party, after a crumbling of support for Mr. Sharif’s party in recent weeks.


“This is the dirtiest election in our history. It is also the most micromanaged,” said I.A. Rehman, of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent watchdog organization.

The other long-established major party, the Pakistan Peoples Party, said its candidates are also being bullied by military officials to switch to Mr. Khan’s party or stand as independent candidates.

The party has publicly named military officers it says are harassing its candidates in three constituencies. It said it has given the names of four military officials to the Election Commission, the official body that oversees the election.

Imran Khan, sitting at center, a former Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician and head of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, attends a campaign rally in Islamabad on June 30.PHOTO: AAMIR QURESHI/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
On Election Day, 371,000 soldiers will be deployed at polling stations, including soldiers inside each one—five times the deployment during the previous election. Military officers will be given judicial powers, enabling them to jail people on the spot, an authority granted by the Election Commission.

Nadeem Qasim, an Election Commission spokesman, said the soldiers were there to provide security for voters. He said the names of military officers provided by the PPP had been forwarded to the Defense Ministry “for necessary action after inquiry.”


Punjab’s interior minister, Shaukat Javed, said no allegations of election meddling by police officers have been made to him.

In another constituency in Punjab, a candidate for Mr. Sharif’s party estimated that around a quarter of its support base had been lost to intimidation, in an operation run by a major who located to the area for the election period.

“The result is hard to predict. People are scared, but they have also started to think for themselves,” the candidate said
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pakist...fluence-ahead-of-national-election-1532088001

yeah & we like it . if jailing corrupt is military intervention then we as a Pakistanis are enjoying it .
.
.
western media is on fire because their puppet is in jail and one is about to go to the jail .
.
.
oyee ab to wallstreet journal ney article chaap diya ab to mian sahab sey sarey case hat janey chaiye .
patwari or un ki choti choti khusiyaan .

 

[Yaseen1]

it is better for army to avoid interference otherwise u.s and other countries may impose sanctions on us and we will fall in severe disaster.it is better to postpone such elections and form new interim govt of capable honest people for some years

 

[Verve]

West's assets are finished in Pakistan.

This pre-election propaganda is for the post-election propaganda.

 

[YeBeWarned]

Look Who's talking ? at least our Agencies is Influencing our Elections , we don't let Putin meddle in our election haha

 

[maximuswarrior]

Wrong. International media is doing to make election results controversial. I am just warning PTI / Imran Khan fanboys to get ready after victory. Media is going to target Imran Khan everyday just like Donald Trump.

No one can do anything. It was going to happen one day.

Chickens are coming home to roost. The Americans and Indians are terrified and in a fix. Their investment has gone down the drain. So are the status quo parties in Pakistan in a frenzy. The inevitable is unfolding before our eyes.

That is bad news. Perception is everything. If the world sees Imran Khan as lackey of the main establishment while being tool to serve the interest of the main establishment, then no one in right mind [investors] would invest in Pakistan.

PMLN was different story but if PTI is continued as perceived to be the tool of the main establishment, then the damage is done. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.



It is allegation without evidence and even then, PMLN always had strong clashes with the main establishment. PMLN was perceived as democratic political party despite being the product of main establishment.

Whereas PTI is perceived as the tool of main establishment which also shows that Imran Khan is nothing but puppet that follows the narrative of the main establishment. The worlds want the champion of democracy which Imran Khan was being geared towards to that image but now, that alone perception is killing not just PTI but also the future of Pakistan in terms of economical as well if true.

Who is the world? The US, India and the few lackeys? Apart from Indian, US and a handful of Western media no one is making up conspiracy theories.

If IK changes his stance regarding drone strikes, US hypocrisy/meddling in Pakistan and Indian atrocities in Kashmir both India and the US will claim that IK is good for Pakistani democracy.

No matter how we look at it. It is bad news for India and the US. The sentiment in Pakistan is overwhelmingly against the US Indian intimidation towards Pakistan. The US and India need to gear up for change.

 

[Bashido]

i think you are forgetting that we are living in the world where might is right. it was uncle sam and saudia who supported and funded pak to launch jihadis into aghanistan during the russian invasion. US provided the weapons to those mujahideen which are called terrorists these days .remember rambo 3 in which these terrorists of today were shown as heroes fighting against the cruel russians. how many WMDs were found in iraq? do you think they destroyed libya for democracy? they should also launch attack on saudia as well which has never seen any democracy of any kind but they will never do till the time saudia acts like puppet of zionists. the day saudia even tries to move away from US sanctions, media warfare and internal conflicts will target saudia.
the simple reality is that they cant digest a muslim country to have nukes. with recent development of cpec(in which army played the most important role otherwise politicians were about to make it another kalabagh dam) it is even more important for many countries to create civil unrest in the country.majority of the pak politicians are no doubt bast*rds of the highest order. the gen public in pak is simply uneducated, oppressed and cant think even beyond roti kapra makan. so the only opposition zionists have in pak is the pak military which despite its flaws and mistakes still remains a force to be reckon with. otherwise the corrupt politicians and the idiot pak nation are bent upon destroying this country.
as far as international media is concerned we are under fifth gen warfare. they are highly active now because now their biggest pawn is rotting in jail and soon the others will join him soon. previously this military has successfully dismantled their agents like ttp, bla, mqm.


for 3 decades they have looted this country. but yes people in punjab can still forgive their sins for a plate of biryani

bla bla.... I was unable to follow after second line. Bhae dunya kaha say kaha poohnch gaye. Aj usi Russia mai world cup huwa hai aur hum kaha hai? Yaha ap k apnay army k generals retirement k baad naeh rehna chahtay .. bachay in k pehlay hi baher hotay hain/. bhae please come out this mantra and zaid hamid logic.

 

[Rank]

cheekhain of International Establishment because their puppet NS no more chance!

 

[Proudpakistaniguy]

cheekhain of International Establishment because their puppet NS no more chance!

external establishment vs internal establishment ..Pakistani election is top class drama and rajneeti

 

[litman]

bla bla.... I was unable to follow after second line. Bhae dunya kaha say kaha poohnch gaye. Aj usi Russia mai world cup huwa hai aur hum kaha hai? Yaha ap k apnay army k generals retirement k baad naeh rehna chahtay .. bachay in k pehlay hi baher hotay hain/. bhae please come out this mantra and zaid hamid logic.

you were not unable to follow after second line because you dont want to follow. i did not write in persian. those were plain simple facts which you dont want to hear. this is called typical patwari mentality.
as far as russia is concerned they have been facing fourth and fifth generation warfare since long. media campaign(portraying russian mmilitary as the most evil and stupid military in the world) economic sanctions, reduction in oil prices in the world, attack on syria etc all have one purpose in common and that is to malign russia and to weaken them economically. the biggest difference between them and us that we are far more corrupt, stubborn and pathetic. even during this world cup a foreign reporter took an old pic of a heap of dead dogs in karachi and published it as it is in moscow showing to the whole world that moscow is a terrible spot in the world but later on russian media spoiled the plot by showing the truth about the pic.
i am sure you wont be able to follow even the first line this time.

Was it OK when Gen. Kayani used military influence in last general election to help PML-N form government single handedly?

as far as patwari logic is concerned that was perfect and the army and ISI were the best organizations. similarly as per asghar khan case when agencies funded politicians including nawaz they did the right thing. this is called hypocrisy.

 

[Sugarcane]

external establishment vs internal establishment ..Pakistani election is top class drama and rajneeti

When in super power like US there are allegations and probes about interference of external agencies then what's so funny about it's happening in Pakistan? Do you consider Pakistan less significant than even Nepal and Bangladesh that nobody bother about it?

It is allegation without evidence and even then

Yeah - Sharif and his stooges are presenting bible as evidence.

 

[Finer]

Yeah - Sharif and his stooges are presenting bible as evidence.

I have no clue what your point is all about. If you are gonna quote incomplete fragmented sentence, then i cannot be much of help.

 

[Finer]

Who is the world? The US, India and the few lackeys? Apart from Indian, US and a handful of Western media no one is making up conspiracy theories.

If IK changes his stance regarding drone strikes, US hypocrisy/meddling in Pakistan and Indian atrocities in Kashmir both India and the US will claim that IK is good for Pakistani democracy.

No matter how we look at it. It is bad news for India and the US. The sentiment in Pakistan is overwhelmingly against the US Indian intimidation towards Pakistan. The US and India need to gear up for change.

You just summed it up. Perception is everything. And right now, we are walking on the thin edge.

Time will tell if this tactical move is bad news or good news. Same thing happened in 80s and in the long run, it proved to be disaster and lost East Pakistan in the process. We have just weakened the spirit of democracy, and for that, it will always look bad in the eye of the worlds which translates no potential investor considering we are in huge debt now heading the straight to the isolation on all accounts given that they have stronger reasons now more than ever.

The tactical move from the main establishment is ideal but the timing was poor. From the election, 2013, where General Kiyani was alleged to lend support for the main leader of PMLN to General Bajwa where the main leader has been disqualified in the middle of the democratic process. Without completing the process while the same source being responsible for installing and support to disqualifying in the middle process of the democratic process appears to be undecided and risky while undermining the stability of the economy and the faiths of investors and potential investors in the process.

It was poor timing and the perception that to this day has lived on which is that the democracy can never thrive as long as the main establishment exists which is now perception has been successfully built and that is very very very bad. I cannot emphasize how bad that looks now.

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/nukevault/ebb377/photos/C11730-6A.jpg