Pakistan: elections under arms – SPIEGEL ONLINE

The red carpet in the open field dives into the mud. Undeterred by the rain, local political celebrities crush their VIP seats on the stage, which consists of three containers. Before that: a thousand folding chairs for the public, the square surrounded by barbed wire. At the entrance, police with machine guns, soldiers, private security guards. Snakes form in front of metal detectors, evening workers scan visitors, check bags. In the end, on Tuesday night, there are so many people in Bharakahu Square, on the outskirts of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, to listen to the politicians of the recent Islamic Muslim Conservative League (PML-N). 19659004] Nearly 106 million Pakistanis with more than 200 million inhabitants are called on Wednesday to elect a new parliament with a total of 342 seats and a new government.

Neither the monsoon nor the threat of terrorism prevents them from holding political events visit. In recent weeks, many people have died in bombings and shootings, with 141 dead in a suicide bombing at a political rally on July 13 in Mastung, a city in Baluchistan province. It was the deadliest attack this year.

"Golden opportunity that God has given you"

In Bharakahu too, people expect violence, even though the most important person should not be seen, only to be heard: L & # 39, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, speaks the crowd of the group. This is a message that he sends out of prison – Sharif was sentenced to prison for corruption and is now a few kilometers from Barakahu, in Rawalpindi, in a high security prison.

"The historic 25th of July is here, and although I am imprisoned, I witness your passion and hear your calls!" He said in two minutes recording, which was distributed by his daughter also jailed Mariyam via Twitter . Sharif urges his followers to "leave their homes after morning prayers on Wednesday, give your voice to the PML-N, and change the fate of the nation." It's a "golden opportunity that God has given you."

Imran Khan – Democrat or rather Islamist?

The election result is not clear: the polls see a head-to-head race between PML-N and PTI, the party of Imran Khan. Khan was once an international cricket, led Pakistan in 1992 for the world title and has since been a star. He led a life as a playboy and partygoers in England, founded his party in Pakistan in 1996, now runs a religious class with her and is considered the darling of the mighty army. Many see him as the next prime minister.

Opinions differ as to whether Khan is more democratic or Islamist. Sometimes he is pro-Western and cosmopolitan, then again he defends the blasphemy law, according to which dozens of people, Muslims and members of religious minorities, have been sentenced to death for insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

If Khan wins, it would be the first time in the history of Pakistan that neither of the two established parties – the PML-N led by the Sharif or the leftist Pakistani People's Party (PPP), dominated by the Bhutto clan – has prevailed.

But most importantly, since the founding of Pakistan in 1947, the army has dominated the country. Since then, four military dictators have experienced it. Formally, Pakistan is a democracy, but the most powerful man in the country is still the chief of the army.

In elections, clan leaders and landowners dictate to their families, communities and workers who to choose – and thousands of people blindly follow these instructions. In a country where only 58% of the population aged 15 and over can read and write, breeding instincts replace free thinking.

The Army officially denies interference

This time, the PML-N wants to break the power of the generals. Sharif was already twice in the government of the 90s, both times he could not complete his term:

• Once he had to resign prematurely for allegations of corruption,
• the second time he was removed from office.
• He was also unable to end his third term beginning in 2013: in 2017, he had to resign after a verdict of justice for allegations of corruption. Panamanian newspapers had put pressure on him, he could not prove the financing of four luxury apartments in London.

He was sentenced to ten years in prison in early July while living with his cancer patient in London, and his daughter Maryam was sentenced to seven years. Nevertheless, they both returned to Pakistan a week ago – and were arrested at the airport.

Sharif is wrongly accused of accusing the military of plotting. "I am ready to sacrifice my life for democracy," he said. With his return, he tries to change his image from a corrupt fraudster into a martyr whose struggle for democracy was forced by the generals. If he succeeds, will show the election on Wednesday.

Officially, the army denies any interference. In the background conversations, agents try to understand why they want to prevent Sharif. The goal is to "seize and eradicate" rampant corruption, says a general. It was "only possible with fresh staff, Sharif was the head of government three times, he should never be again."

Journalists speak of "massive pressure"

In the eyes of many Pakistanis, the armed forces are the only institution that is not corrupt. Critics accuse the army of unacceptable interference in politics and justice.

"We are not independent, our institutions are in the hands of those who carry weapons," said Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, a judge in Islamabad, in a speech on Saturday. He accused the ISI of being particularly simple in handling the elections.

Journalists also speak of "massive pressure". They would be "intimidated, threatened, beaten," a journalist said. Many media criticizing the army would be embarrassed at work. Sometimes even the largest news channel in Pakistan, Geo TV, was no longer on the air; The largest English-language newspaper, Dawn, did not appear in some parts of the country

"At the same time, the generals support radical Islamists and terrorists all over the world and, instead of imprisoning them, they do it freely ". sure. It seems to journalists not to criticize that. They were given themes, and they should not write anything wrong about Imran Khan and call Nawaz Sharif not "former prime minister," but a "corrupt criminal."

The result of the election, say several reporters, does not matter. In truth, the military rules, without a coup d'etat.