2024 Election ‘manipulated’ in 64 ways, Pattan report says
A year after Pakistan’s general elections in February 2024, a non-governmental organization (NGO), Pattan, has released a report alleging widespread electoral fraud. The first part of the report, titled “The War Against Voters,” details an analysis of what it describes as a stolen public mandate and a growing authoritarianism in the country.
The report claims that following unprecedented irregularities in the general elections, actions were taken to distort the structure and spirit of the constitution. It alleges the subjugation of the judiciary, suppression of media outlets, independent journalists, and social media activists.
An audit of election results on the Election Commission’s website revealed alarming trends. The Election Commission reportedly continued to alter election result forms on its website until September 2024. The report highlights discrepancies in voter turnout, citing numerous national constituencies in Lahore where turnout exceeded 80 percent, with some exceeding 100 percent—an impossibility. In contrast, the report notes that the average voter turnout in corresponding provincial constituencies was around 40 percent. This pattern was reportedly more pronounced in Punjab and Karachi.
Despite Supreme Court orders, over fifty designated seats remain vacant, according to Pattan. The NGO argues that this incomplete legislature undermines the legal standing and public trust in any legislation passed. The report identifies 64 new methods of electoral manipulation, coercion, and fraud used before, during, and after polling. The aim, it alleges, was to achieve “positive” results.
Pattan claims that those in power are using all available resources to protect the “stolen public mandate,” citing the enforcement of the PECA Act and the 26th Constitutional Amendment as examples.
The report concludes by calling for the establishment of an inquiry commission to investigate the 2024 election fraud and determine responsibility.