A year of chaos

Today marks a whole year since the now-very-infamous February 8, 2024 general election in Pakistan. An election that was supposed to clear out some seriously heavy cobwebs haunting our politics has ended up haunting the country's politics all by itself -- as Pakistan finds itself still mired in a political quagmire with no clear resolution in sight. The past year has been dominated by allegations of rigging, judicial battles and street protests. Yet -- predictably so -- none of these has helped Pakistan move towards stability. Instead, both the ruling coalition and the opposition have deepened the crisis, making governance more difficult and economic recovery more elusive. The PTI, already known for its confrontational politics, had set the stage for an acrimonious pre-election environment. That became even worse post-election. To be fair, an election that walked and talked like it had been 'tinkered' with would pretty much outrage even the calmest of politicos. And 'calm' is certainly not how anyone would describe the PTI or its founder. The parties currently in power have since then only worsened the situation, refusing to acknowledge the widespread political discontent and opting to govern through force rather than consensus-building. The year following the elections has seen intensified political repression, crackdowns on PTI leaders and supporters, and a growing erosion of public confidence in democratic institutions. If the elections were flawed, the handling of the post-election period has been equally damaging.

One key takeaway from the February 8 elections was that the country’s major political parties -- PTI, PML-N and PPP -- retained their cumulative vote banks but none securing an absolute majority. [This is obviously denied by the PTI which says it swept the election which it says was then rigged to show a different outcome]. The statistics would have gone a long way in understanding the country's politics had the election not been tainted by controversy and chaos -- the alleged manipulation of results, the disenfranchisement of PTI candidates, and broader questions about the role of the establishment casting a long shadow over the elections and the ensuing government.

If we look beyond the technicalities of vote shares and seat allocations, the real crisis facing Pakistan is really one of political legitimacy. The PTI's reluctance to engage in meaningful dialogue with the government and the government's continued reliance on coercion rather than reconciliation has only fueled further instability. At the same time, the PTI’s persistent focus on relitigating past grievances -- though justified in many respects -- cannot serve as an indefinite political strategy. If the PTI wishes to secure its place in the political landscape and deliver on its promises, it must shift its approach from street protests and legal battles to structured negotiations and political engagement. Moving forward does not mean at all that legitimate claims regarding rigging and court cases that are ongoing regarding the election should just be set aside. The point is that the PTI can fight a legal battle while also understanding just how important its role can be as an opposition political party, especially in a country that has had to snatch back some economic space for itself. Conversely, those in power must recognise that stability cannot be achieved through suppression. The government needs to create space for genuine political reconciliation, understanding that sidelining an entire political party will only deepen national instability. The February 8 elections, flawed as they may have been, are now a year old and Pakistan just cannot afford to remain trapped in an endless cycle of accusations, protests and stalemates. Without political maturity from all sides, we risk going down a perpetual Groundhog Day -- protest, suppression, protest, suppression and so on.