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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
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
