PM Kakar States Delay in Election Results Does Not Mean Rigging

Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar the caretaker, in a press conference on Monday clarified concerns about the delay in the election results. He explained the extended deadline blaming it on poor mobile services affecting voting aggregation due to security threats.

Kakar said that we can afford a delay, but not terrorist attacks and he added that delay is not rigging. His government, which is the appointed to oversee the country through elections, aims to ensure a smooth transition until it is taken over by an elected party.

Several political parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), voiced dissatisfaction over the delay claiming a possible rigging. Although it has been more than 3 days since the elections, the results are still to be received as one seat remains to be adjudicated.

In response to criticism, Kakar pointed out that election result delays are not unique to Pakistan, citing examples from Sweden and Indonesia. He highlighted the complexity of managing a country of 240 million people with 92,000 polling stations, stating that the process inherently consumes time but can be explained.

The prime minister provided context by comparing the result-gathering process, noting that in 2018, it took 66 hours, while in 2024, it was completed in 36 hours. He clarified that this timeframe exceeded the official Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deadline by around nine hours. Despite challenges, Kakar affirmed the commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process.