• A leaked Commonwealth report confirms Pakistan’s 2024 elections were rigged to sideline Imran Khan’s PTI and cement military-backed rule.
• Its year-long suppression exposes the Commonwealth’s credibility crisis and complicity in undermining democracy.
A suppressed observer report from the Commonwealth has confirmed widespread irregularities in Pakistan’s February 2024 general elections, exposing a rigged process that disadvantaged ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and unlawfully declared candidates as being elected. As reported by Drop Site News, the document details vote tampering, internet shutdowns, and targeted suppression of opposition voices, actions that undermined democratic principles and favoured a military-backed coalition. This revelation, emerging over a year after the polls, raises serious questions about the Commonwealth’s role in delaying its release, potentially at Pakistan’s behest. Drawing from the leaked report and related disclosures, this investigation outlines the timeline of events, the fraud’s mechanics, and the accountability gaps.
Timeline of the Elections and Alleged Rigging
The February 8, 2024, elections followed Imran Khan’s 2022 ousting as prime minister, amid U.S. influence and military interference. Khan, imprisoned on charges widely viewed as politically motivated, saw his PTI party barred from using its electoral symbol, forcing candidates to run as independents. Despite early leads suggesting a PTI landslide, results flipped overnight, installing coalition led PM, Shehbaz Sharif, under an unannounced military dictatorship.
Key irregularities began pre-election: PTI faced arrests, raids, and media blackouts, with the report noting these measures “were felt most acutely by PTI and its supporters.” On polling day, nationwide cellphone and internet shutdowns halted electronic vote transmission, enabling manual tampering. The report highlights discrepancies in vote counts that “may have resulted in some candidates being unlawfully returned,” primarily harming PTI. Post-election, suppression intensified, with PTI members jailed and families harassed, blurring military and civilian boundaries in violation of Pakistan’s constitution.
The military’s involvement was overt, with the report criticising its role in politics and calling for reforms to ensure impartiality. These events unfolded against a backdrop of PTI’s digital savvy being neutralised by “coincidental” outages during campaigns.
Details of the Suppressed Commonwealth Report
Led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) was deployed to monitor the elections, assessing compliance with domestic laws and international standards. Unlike typical reports, this one was not published promptly but shared privately with Pakistan’s government, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, while being withheld from the public and opposition for over a year, ’A First In The Commonwealth’s 70-Year History’ of observer missions.
The document, now public via Drop Site News or PDF for restricted access and the full report, exposes systemic flaws. Key findings include electoral irregularities such as discrepancies between polling station results (Form 45) and consolidated totals (Form 47), with altered vote counts and turnout figures exceeding 100% in some areas such as Lahore. The failure of the Election Management System (EMS) due to cellular shutdowns created opportunities for manipulation, while census discrepancies, such as Balochistan’s population being reduced by 7 million, affected seat allocations, violating variance limits. Nomination papers were rejected on technical grounds, vote-buying was alleged in constituencies like NA-127, and family votes were fragmented to distant stations, contributing to a turnout drop to 47.6%.
Military involvement is heavily critiqued: Amendments to the Official Secrets Act and Army Act enabled civilian trials in military courts, with the Supreme Court overturning but later allowing proceedings for the alleged false flag, May 2023 violence. Judges from the Islamabad High Court reported intimidation, abductions, and surveillance by ISI operatives in a March 2024 letter. Armed forces, while deployed for security, sometimes overreached at polling stations, invoking a historical “doctrine of necessity” to justify interference.
Suppression of PTI was acute: The party was denied its famous “bat” symbol on January 8, 2024 forcing them to run as independents and initially denying PTI reserved seats. Imran Khan faced multiple convictions days before the polls, barring participation. Reports detail up to 10,000 arrests, detentions, disappearances, and raids on PTI offices and homes, including those of leaders like Barrister Gohar Khan. Internet disruptions targeted PTI campaigns on December 17, 2023, and January 7 and 20, 2024, limiting expression, while media coverage was biased and restricted. Specific incidents include 60 arrests in Upper Dir on November 22, 2023, and 200 in Swat the next day, alongside harassment during nominations.
The report urges reforms, including clearer military-civilian demarcation, enhanced transparency in results transmission, and protections for rights to assembly and expression. Its suppression shielded the regime from scrutiny over rigging claims, allowing the Military backed pdm government to consolidate power amid ongoing protests.
The Commonwealth’s Role in the Cover-Up
Why did the Commonwealth, an organisation committed to democratic values, suppress evidence of electoral fraud for so long? The group delayed publication, breaking from protocol and enabling a questionable regime to evade accountability. This decision demands scrutiny: Was it to preserve diplomatic ties, or something more compromising?
Key questions remain unanswered, as highlighted in journalist Waqas Ahmed’s analysis:
- Is it true the Commonwealth privately shared the report with Ishaq Dar several months ago?
- Did the Commonwealth urge Pakistan to share it with opposition parties like PTI, their standard practice?
- If Drop Site hadn’t leaked it, would the Commonwealth have let this rot in a drawer forever?
- For transparency’s sake, disclose all state hospitality and gifts the Secretary-General and staff received from Pakistan since February 2024.
These queries point to potential conflicts of interest and a failure to uphold transparency.
What the Commonwealth’s Silence Cost Pakistan
The leaked report confirms what PTI supporters have alleged: Pakistan’s 2024 elections were manipulated to entrench military influence, denying its 250 million citizens a fair vote. The Commonwealth’s delay in releasing it erodes its credibility as a global watchdog. Immediate action is needed: independent probes, electoral reforms, and full disclosure from all parties. Without accountability, Pakistan’s democracy remains at risk, and international bodies like the Commonwealth must prove they prioritize justice over expediency. For the original Drop Site announcement, refer to the following tweet.
