The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has released its long-awaited final report on Pakistan’s 2024 general elections. Published 18 months after the vote, the 161-page report highlights major concerns about fairness, transparency, and political freedoms.
Concerns Over Election Fairness
The report says PTI faced serious obstacles before and during the elections. Denial of its bat symbol, arrests of party members, and limits on gatherings undermined its campaign. Back-to-back convictions of PTI founder Imran Khan further raised doubts about electoral fairness.
COG also criticized the suspension of mobile services on election night. It noted that the move slowed down result transmission and damaged transparency. The group found evidence of altered Forms 45, 46, and 47. It pointed out differences between vote counts recorded by polling agents and the Election Commission’s published results. Media coverage also came under scrutiny. State-run television reportedly favored PML-N and PPP while sidelining PTI-backed candidates. Censorship was also flagged, including reports that media outlets were told not to mention Imran Khan’s name.
Positive Steps and Recommendations
Despite these concerns, the report did highlight some progress. The Election Commission of Pakistan narrowed the voter gender gap from 12% in 2013 to 7.7% in 2024. Youth participation also improved, and its Gender and Social Inclusion Wing was praised. Initiatives like a gender harassment hotline received special mention.
COG Chairperson Dr. Goodluck Jonathan stated that while some measures had legal grounds, their combined impact clearly disadvantaged one party. The group recommended reforms to protect political rights, strengthen media freedom, and build democratic institutions.
In conclusion, COG said restrictions, irregularities, and result discrepancies “undermined the credibility, inclusiveness, and transparency of the electoral process.”
