Deadline for Pakistan to hold new elections is today

Today, November 9, is the constitutionally mandated cutoff date for Pakistan to hold new elections.

The last elections, held in July 2018, were won by Imran Khan, who was ultimately removed from office and sentenced to three years in prison. Nevertheless, Khan remains a popular figure in Pakistani politics, and many voters have called on the de-facto military government to organize new elections.

After months of popular movements calling for the release of Khan, and for new elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that polls will be held on February 8, 2024. Despite being organized three months past the constitutionally mandated date, the official announcement of an election date should reinforce the status of democracy in Pakistan. The few polls published over the last few weeks show that Imran Khan’s populist Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would decisively win the future election. Nevertheless, even in the case of victory, Khan is not likely to become Prime Minister again given the powerful role played by the Armed Forces in Pakistan. Khan’s potential return could also damage Pakistan’s relations with the US, as the former Prime Minister has frequently accused the American government of staging a coup against his government.