2008 Pakistani general election

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2008 Pakistani general election
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All 342 seats in the
pp
)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Asif Ali Zardari
Nisar Ali Khan
Shujaat Hussain
Party
PPP
 PML(N) PML(Q)
Last election 79 19 105
Seats won 116 88 54
Seat change Increase37 Increase69 Decrease51
Popular vote 10,666,548 6,917,752 7,962,473
Percentage 30.77% 19.95% 22.97%
Swing Increase 4.72pp Increase 8.29pp Decrease 2.69pp
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election

Shaukat Aziz
PML(Q)

Subsequent Prime Minister

Yousaf Raza Gillani

PPP

Politics of Pakistan
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    • AJK Election Commission
    • Chief Election Commissioner of AJK: Abdul Rashid Sulehria
    • Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission
    • Chief Election Commissioner of Gilgit-Baltistan: Raja Shah Baz Khan

    Elections

    Provincial elections

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    flag Pakistan portal

    General elections were held in

    Provincial Assemblies.[1][2]

    On 3 November 2007 President Pervez Musharraf enacted a state of emergency; elections were initially postponed indefinitely.[3] However, it was later stated they would be held as planned.[4] On 8 November 2007 Musharraf announced that the elections would be held by 15 February 2008,[5] before suggesting a date of 8 January.[6] Following the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007, the Election Commission conducted a meeting and announced that 8 January was no longer a feasible date and the elections would be held on 18 February.[7]

    The elections saw the resurgence of the

    Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, although the party's eponymous founder Nawaz Sharif had returned from exile and was taking part in the Election campaign. At the provincial level, the PPP won in Sindh, the PML-N dominated in Punjab, the Awami National Party emerged as the largest party in North-West Frontier Province and Musharraf's Pakistan Muslim League (Q) won the most seats in Balochistan. Around 35.2 million people voted, with voter turnout just 44%.[8]

    Musharraf conceded the defeat of his party and pledged to work with the new

    impeachment movement and a campaign to restore the judiciary. The PPP instead formed a government with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)
    .

    By-elections for 28 seats (23 provincial and five national) were delayed numerous times, with most of them held as late as 26 June 2008.

    Terrorism

    Main articles:
    Lal Masjid Operation

    Since 2004, there was a sharp rise of

    Police's special forces conducted an armed raid in the Mosque. The general elections were dealt with a great shock on 27 December 2007 when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated while leaving a rally in Rawalpindi. Bhutto's assassination raised many questions as to whether the general election would be postponed. Following the fatal attack, Pervez Musharraf held an emergency meeting with other government officials, but stated that "no decision had been made on whether to delay the national elections."[10]

    Benazir Bhutto had "become an appealing solution" to United States officials frustrated with President Musharraf's failure to restore democracy to Pakistan, The New York Times said.

    The

    PPP then decided to name Benazir Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the new party leader with his father Asif Ali Zardari
    as co-leader, as asked for in Benazir Bhutto's testament. The party also decided that it would contest the elections and stated that the elections should be held as planned.

    The Election Commission announced after a meeting in Islamabad that an 8 January vote was no longer possible and the election would take place on 18 February.[7]

    Pre-election violence

    In the weeks preceding the election, there were several attacks targeting leftist politicians and political rallies. On 9 February, a

    Bajaur was destroyed by militants earlier.[14]

    Issues

    Code of conduct

    Code of conduct for the election has been proposed by the Citizens' Group on Electoral Process (CGEP) to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the political parties. This suggests that all stakeholders should agree on a set of rules as early as possible, in order to provide a level playing field for a fair general election.[15]

    Terrorism

    There have been concerns from the

    Pakistan Peoples Party.[17]

    Fairness of elections

    To ensure the transparent elections the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

    Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal. Regarding the election, the declaration had the following clauses:[19]
    Former Prime Minister Pakistan Ch. Shujaat claimed that United States managed results of 2008 general elections. In a televised interview with Channel 5 of Pakistan on 31 March 2017, Ch. Shujaat claimed that American authorities along with the then Senator (who became vice-president thereafter) Joe Biden visited him two days before general elections of 2008 at his (Shujaat) residence in Lahore and said that US would not accept election results if his (Shujaat) party won

    • The formation of a caretaker government of national consensus, in consultation with the opposition parties to hold free, fair and honest elections. Its members will not contest the elections.
    • The appointment of a neutral Chief Election Commissioner and members of the Election Commission in consultation with the opposition parties.
    • The dissolution of local governments three months prior to the holding of the general elections.
    • The caretaker government of national consensus shall appoint officers with no political affiliation in Election Commission, federal, provincial and district governments.
    • Repeal of all discriminatory election laws, to ensure even playing fields and the implementation of fair election proposals.
    • Implementation of the jointly agreed criteria for holding of fair and free elections.
    • To keep under review the steps being taken to ensure free, fair and honest elections and to collectively through consensus take any decision which may include a boycott of elections in the extreme case at the appropriate time.
    • To firmly resist collectively the machinations of the regime to postpone the general elections by imposing emergency or under any other pretext.
    • To struggle collectively for the removal of dictatorship from Pakistan and confine the role of the armed forces to that prescribed in the Constitution of 1973. It demands immediate withdrawal of military personnel from all civilian departments and posts. It demands closure of the political cells of all the military, security and intelligence agencies.

    Campaign

    Party alliances

    Thirty-two parties opposed to Musharraf have joined in a loose

    political alliance called All Parties Democratic Movement
    ; the PPP, one of the main parties, was not a part of this alliance.

    As Musharraf had stated that the elections would be held under the

    Tehreek-i-Insaaf.[20]

    The opposition parties jointly stated that the elections could not be fair, as most opposition candidates were in jail under the state of emergency and thus unable to file nomination papers for the election.[21]

    On 23 November 2007 PPP members were given the go-ahead to register for the elections, while still reserving the decision to boycott the election.[22]

    Imran Khan, the Tehreek-i-Insaaf leader, restated his call for a boycott on 23 November 2007, the day the APDM was to decide on whether to boycott the elections jointly.[23]

    Upon his return to Pakistan on 26 November 2007 Nawaz Sharif stated he would run in the elections only if the state of emergency was lifted before the polls,[24] and that he would not serve as Prime Minister under Musharraf.[25] However, Sharif's candidacy was rejected on 3 December due to his prior criminal conviction.[26]

    On 10 December 2007 Sharif and Bhutto finally announced they would not boycott the election, despite their fears that the election would be neither free nor fair.[27]

    Pakistan Peoples Party

    The

    centre-left political party and promotes the proponents of social democracy. During the election campaign, Benazir highlighted the success of computer literacy
    programme that was launched in 1993 and gas pipelines infrastructure that was initiated in 1995.

    Pakistan Muslim League (N)

    The

    centre-right political party and primarily targeted the Pervez Musharraf and PML(Q)'s government initiatives to resolve the law and order situation in the country. Due to Pervez Musharraf baring Nawaz Sharif to return to the country, the PML-N
    's campaign was restricted in all over the country.

    Electoral support

    In a poll from the

    Majlis-e-Shoora).[32]

    Results

    Results indicated that

    PPP and PML(N) secured the largest popularity votes in the elections– both campaigned on targeting Musharraf and had been politically active against Musharraf since 2003. The PML(Q) of Musharraf eminently faced the defeat, including 22 higher officials of the PML(Q) who were the cabinet ministers
    which constituted a bulk of the previous federal cabinet.

    The

    Pervez Illahi lost their respected seats. Others belonging to PML(Q)
    who also lost the elections includes:

    On 21 February, it was announced that the PPP and the PML (N) would form a coalition government.[34] The coalition would also include the Awami National Party.

    National Assembly

    Following the election, seven independents joined the PPP, whilst three joined PML-N.[35]

    Jamit Ahle Hadith Pakistan-Elahi Zheer
    		4,0080.010000
    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S)3,8850.010000
    Hazara Democratic Party3,1740.010000
    Awami Himayat Tehreek Pakistan2,9290.010000
    Pasban2,3180.010000
    Punjab National Party2,1520.010000
    Jamhoori Wattan Party2,0540.010000
    Pakistan Tehrek-e-Inqalab1,6700.000000
    Sunni Tehreek1,5010.000000
    Azad Pakistan Party1,4920.000000
    Pakistan Muhafiz Party1,4800.000000
    Pak Muslim Alliance8740.000000
    Pakistan Ittehad Tehreek2350.000000
    Pakistan Gharib Party2150.000000
    Markazi Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan FK1970.000000
    Pakistan Aman Party1810.000000
    Pakistan Qaumi Party990.000000
    Pakistan Qaumi League720.000000
    Pakistan Freedom Party90.000000
    Independents3,826,49011.04300030
    Vacant1––1
    Total34,668,910100.002726010342
    Valid votes34,668,91096.86
    Invalid/blank votes1,124,0933.14
    Total votes35,793,003100.00
    Registered voters/turnout80,724,15344.34
    Source: Gallup Pakistan, ECP

    Provincial assemblies

    Punjab

    Main article: 2008 Punjab provincial election
    PartyVotes%Seats
    General
    Pakistan Peoples Party
    		5,565,74326.8981
    Pakistan Muslim League (Q)5,837,92228.2169
    Others430,1472.085
    Independents3,264,06115.7734
    Total20,695,442100.00296
    Source: Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

    Sindh

    PartyVotes%Seats
    General
    Pakistan Peoples Party
    		3,597,27542.2670
    Muttahida Qaumi Movement2,592,50530.4639
    Pakistan Muslim League (Q)1,098,75412.919
    Pakistan Muslim League (F)533,3856.272
    Others690,4388.1110
    Total8,512,357100.00130
    Source: Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

    North-West Frontier Province

    PartyVotes%Seats
    General
    Pakistan Peoples Party
    		563,05716.4917
    Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal500,47914.6610
    Others943,92427.6516
    Independents828,31724.2622
    Total3,414,182100.0096
    Source: Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

    Balochistan

    Main article: 2008 Balochistan provincial election
    PartyVotes%Seats
    General
    Pakistan Peoples Party
    		165,83712.527
    Others177,23513.388
    Independents349,65526.4012
    Total1,324,322100.0050
    Source: Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

    By-elections

    By-elections for 28 seats (23 provincial and 5 national) were delayed numerous times and were being contested, among others, by Nawaz Sharif (who initially stated he had withdrawn, but then appeared to be contesting the election nonetheless;[36] his brother Shehbaz Sharif will also run in the by-elections)[37] and Asif Ali Zardari.[38][39]

    The by-elections had originally planned for 3 June 2008, then postponed to 18 June 2008; a further planned postponement to 18 August 2008 due to security reasons met with large-scale opposition, leading to a rescheduling at the time to 26 June 2008.[40][41] PPP announced it would not run in the by-elections which prominent leaders of the PML-N would contest.[42][43] On 23 June 2008 Sharif was again banned from the election due to his earlier court conviction,[44] leading the Supreme Court on 25 June 2008 to postpone the by-election for Sharif's seat until after appeal deliberations which begin on 30 June 2008 are concluded.[45] By-elections for the other seats were held as planned on 26 June 2008.[46]

    59 candidates contested the five national seats, while the 282 candidates contesting the provincial seats were divided as follow:[47]

    • 171 candidates for the 12 vacancies in Punjab
    • 68 candidates for the seven vacancies in the NWFP currently known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Urdu: خیبر پختون خواہ)
    • 25 candidates for the three vacancies in Balochistan
    • eight candidates for the single vacancy in Sindh

    Unofficial results showed that PML-N had won three national seats and PPP the other two; of the provincial seats, PML-N won eight, PPP seven, the

    independents six.[48] Turnout was reportedly low.[49]

    Government formation

    Support for the
    PPP
    -led government alliance 2008–13
    Party/Alliance Total Seats Voter turnout
    In government
    		342 44.10%
    Parties
    PPP
    		 119 30.79%
    PML(Q) 50 23.12%
    MQM 25 7.43%
    ANP 13 2.03%
    JUI(F) 6 2.2%
    Total 213 65.57%
    Further information: Gillani government

    Due to a common mistrust on

    Gillani worked toward consolidating the power to weakened Pervez Musharraf
    .

    The

    Gillani approved the PML(N) departure and instead named a new cabinet with a new and more prudent leftist alliance consisting of MQM, ANP, JUI(F)
    .

    In December 2010 the MQM withdrew from the ruling coalition, including its 2 cabinet ministers Babar Ghauri, the ports and shipping minister and Farooq Sattar, minister for overseas Pakistanis. Amongst their reasons for withdrawing were corruption, law and order and rising prices.[50] However, the MQM returned to the government in matter of weeks with the PML(Q) also joining the Coalition government in 2012.

    Election for Prime Minister

    The election for Prime Minister took place on 24 March 2008.[51]

    ←August 2004 24 March 2008 2012→
    Candidate Party Votes Obtained
    Required majority → 172 out of 342
    Yusuf Raza Gillani
    PPP
         		264 checkY
    Parvez Elahi PML(Q) 42 ☒N
    Abstentions
    		 <36

    References

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    8. ^ "Panorama of Parliamentary Elections 2008" An Annual Publicationof the Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2008 ed.
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