Protests have erupted throughout Balochistan in the wake of Pakistan’s general elections, amid allegations of widespread electoral interference that allegedly favored certain political parties.
The election results, announced on Thursday, resulted in victories for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in Balochistan. Critics allege that these parties’ candidates in Balochistan enjoyed the backing of the military establishment.
Several political parties with a history of electoral success in the region are contesting the election outcomes, raising significant concerns over the fairness and integrity of the electoral process.
They argue that the military apparatus manipulated the election outcomes in favor of candidates aligned with military interests, especially in areas characterized by lower voter turnout or the absence of polling stations.
In response, parties including the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), National Party, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Hazara Democratic Party, along with religious parties initiated protests on Friday. Their demonstrations, ranging from highway blockades to sit-ins, aim to draw attention to their grievances.
By Saturday, thousands had gathered outside election commission offices to protest against vote rigging, effectively shutting down large parts of the region. The protests have since spread to both major and minor cities including Gwadar, Turbat, Chaghi, Dalbandin, Ziarat, Muslim Bagh, and Loralai.
An emergency meeting in Quetta on Saturday saw these parties discuss grievances over alleged election rigging, their refusal to accept the results, and a decision to launch a joint protest movement in Balochistan against the election outcomes.
They also resolved to prevent newly elected candidates from entering the Balochistan Assembly and to initiate a public movement against the establishment’s alleged interference in Balochistan’s political affairs.
The situation was further complicated when Jan Muhammad Buledi, the National Party’s General Secretary and candidate for PB-25 Kech 1, claimed to have received death threats from a military officer after accusing the military of ballot stuffing in his constituency.
Buledi alleged that thousands of votes for the PPP were registered at polling stations shut down due to security concerns, stating, “How can we accept thousands of fake votes from polling stations where not a single vote was cast? We won’t accept a fake provincial parliament emerging from stolen votes given to the PML-N and PPP.”
It should be noted that the Pakistani general elections in Balochistan were marred by significant challenges, including boycott calls from pro-independence political and armed groups, as well as a surge in armed attacks targeting the electoral campaigns.
Notably, the Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an alliance of armed pro-independence groups, claimed responsibility for 161 attacks in the 11 days leading up to the election. These factors contributed to a notably lower voter turnout, with elections not being held in many areas across Balochistan.