Who are the key players in Pakistan elections?

National elections in Pakistan next Thursday (February 8). This election is going to be held after almost two years of political tension and unrest after the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a vote of no confidence.

About 12.8 million registered voters in the South Asian country of about 25 million people will elect members of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, on that day. Voting will also be held in four provincial government elections- Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh.

According to the information of the local media, about 18 thousand candidates are competing against 336 seats of the National Assembly and 749 seats of the Provincial Assembly in this election. Only 5 thousand 121 candidates for National Assembly. Among them 4 thousand 807 men, 312 women and 2 people of the third gender.

It is believed that 74-year-old former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can return to power in this election with the blessing of the army. Because Nawaz's main rival cricketer-turned-politician and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been removed from the election 'game'.

Despite the election being held under a caretaker government, the polls are going to be held amid allegations of army interference and unprecedented repression of activists and candidates of Imran's party Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Who are the key players in the election?

Nawaz Sharif

Nawaz Sharif is considered to be the 'biggest player' in this election. He is expected to return to power for the fourth time through this election. This veteran politician has served three times as the Prime Minister but could not complete the term even once.

Born on December 25, 1949 in Lahore, Nawaz served as the Chief Minister of Punjab in the 1980s as a politician. Then he became the Prime Minister for the first time in 1990. He became the Prime Minister for the second time in 1997. However, in 1999, he was ousted by a military coup.

Nawaz returned to power after about 14 years. He won the 2013 election and became the Prime Minister for the third time. But his third term ended in 2017 due to corruption allegations. The Supreme Court of Pakistan banned him from politics for 'life' in the Panama Papers scandal case. Not only that, he was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in a separate corruption case.

Nawaz migrated to London for treatment in 2019 with the permission of Imran Khan Government. But even though he went for treatment, he remained in 'voluntary exile'. Finally, after the fall of the Imran Khan government and younger brother Shehbaz Sharif becoming the prime minister of the coalition government, "Big Mia" returned to the country in October last year.

The opposition believes that there is indirect support of the influential Pak army behind his return and return to politics. Many believe that he can even become the next prime minister in the upcoming elections.

Because in the last few months since returning home in October, he has been 'qualified' to contest the upcoming elections. All corruption cases against him have been dismissed. Even the country's highest court that had 'banned' him from politics for 'lifetime' has been lifted and 'done'.

In the election, Nawaz has been a candidate from Lahore NA-130, which is the base of Pakistan Muslim League and the seat number 130 of the National Assembly. The party has already announced him as its prime ministerial candidate.

Imran Khan

World Cup-winning cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan is now in jail. He is unable to participate in the election as he is convicted in a corruption case. However, despite being in jail, this leader of Tehreek-e-Insaf is currently the most popular politician in Pakistan. This is what the BBC recently reported citing a Gallup poll.

Like Imran, many other leaders of his party are in jail. Many were not nominated as candidates by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Election symbol of PTI has also been taken away. However, those who have been nominated are contesting as 'independent candidates'. In such a situation, there are doubts about the election being free, fair and impartial.

About 150 cases have been filed against Imran Khan. As a result, the legal troubles do not seem to end easily. Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 7 years in prison for their last marriage. A fine has also been imposed.

This is the third verdict against Imran Khan by the court this week. He and his trusted aide, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets. The next day on January 31, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of selling state gifts (Toshakhana case).

Despite all these obstacles and repression, Imran Khan and his PTI are getting massive support from the people of Pakistan. And so, even though he could not participate directly, this 72-year-old politician is one of the most important players in this election.

Bilawal Bhutto

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the son of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former President Asif Ali Zardari and the grandson of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Oxford University educated Bilawal is now the Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). PPP was in power from 2008 to 2013. The party, led by Bilawal and his father Asif Ali Zardari, is dreaming of returning to power in this election.

The PPP was part of the coalition government that came to power after the fall of the Imran Khan government in April 2022 and Bilawal became the foreign minister in that government. Through this, he achieved the honor of becoming the youngest foreign minister of Pakistan.

 

Besides, the family's political tradition and leadership qualities, Bilawal, who is only 35 years old, has proved his competence as the prime minister of Pakistan in a very short time. He is contesting the election from Lahore's NA-127 i.e. National Assembly seat number 127.

Analysts say that Bilawal's party PPP will do well in the elections. However, it cannot form a government as a party. Will sit in parliament as the main opposition party.

Pakistan's election analyst Abdul Jabbar Nasir told Nikkei Asia in an interview, "Bilawal knows very well that he cannot become the prime minister this time." So he is getting ready to perform his duties as the head of the opposition party.

Maryam Nawaz

Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz is considered the heir apparent to her father, the former prime minister. According to a Nikkei Asia report, Nawaz is grooming daughter Maryam to take over his party and continue his political legacy.

Maryam's political career began in early 2010. In the beginning, he was seen to be vocal on behalf of his father and the party on various issues. Her beauty, passionate speeches and strong presence on social media have created many fans and followers. This 50-year-old female politician is very popular especially among the youth.

However, Maryam Nawaz's political journey has also faced challenges. In August 2019, he ran into legal trouble during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He was jailed for money laundering.

Maryam Nawaz is now serving as the vice president of the party. In the election, he is contesting from 119 and 120 seats in the National Assembly of Lahore. If the PML-N and its allies come to power in this election, it is believed that Maryam will get a big responsibility in the next government.

Shahbaz Sharif

Nawaz Sharif's younger brother. Former prime minister and elder brother Nawaz is president of PML-N party. One of the most influential figures in Pakistani politics and one of the key players in the upcoming elections.

Born in 1951, Shahbaz played an important role in the political scene of Punjab. Continually participated in various elections. His influence extends beyond regional politics. Especially after the overthrow of Imran Khan in 2022, he served as the prime minister of the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) coalition government.

Shahbaz Sharif holds the record for the longest tenure as Chief Minister in the history of Punjab for over 11 years. He also contributed to the Nawaz government in 1997, the Pakistan People’s Party regime in 2008 and the PML-N government in 2013.

He is contesting from NA-132 seat in Kasur, Punjab province in the upcoming elections. He is leading the election campaign team. If elected and the party comes to power, this politician is sure to get important responsibilities.

Jahangir Tareen

Jahangir Tareen, once a close associate of Imran Khan. After Imran Khan's arrest, he formed a new party, Istehqam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP). His party, consisting mainly of PTI leaders, is contesting the upcoming elections. Tareen, 70, has promised to establish Pakistan as a 'beacon of progress on the world stage'.

According to Tahir Malik, professor of international relations at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad, Tareen 'could emerge as a kingmaker by attracting PTI candidates contesting as independents to form the government.'

Maulana Fazlur Rahman

Maulana Fazlur Rahman. A prominent figure in Pakistani politics. A religious leader and a very vocal politician on various national issues. As head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance, he has considerable influence in both the religious and national political arenas.

Talking about his political history, he has always been a staunch opponent of PTI and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The opposition led to the formation of the PDM alliance. A united and vigorous movement by the coalition succeeded in overthrowing Khan's government in April 2022.

In that context, whichever party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) or Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) gets the majority in the upcoming elections, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman will be the next president. The leaders of the party think so.

Asif Ali Zardari

Former President Asif Ali Zardari is the co-chairman and vice-president of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was his wife. Zardari was in environmental affairs ministry in Benazir Bhutto's second-term government

Zardari served as the 14th President of Pakistan during the tenure of PPP from 2008-2013. Then in 2022, he played an important role in overthrowing the Imran Khan government through a vote of no confidence. Many believe that his son Bilawal Bhutto was made Foreign Minister for that role.

Like Nawaz Sharif's ambitions for Maryam Nawaz, Zardari's ambitions for his son Bilawal are 'open secret'. Even if there is an occasional 'quarrel' between father and son, Many people think that he wants to see his son as the Prime Minister. For that purpose, this influential politician has kept the party.

Read more: Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi sentenced to 7 years for `illegal' marriage