KP Educational Institutions Closed for 3 Days
All educational institutions in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are set to shut down from February 7 to 9 in light of the upcoming general elections. The formal announcement is expected in early February, as schools and colleges, vital for polling stations on February 8, will be closed during this period. Teachers, serving as polling staff, are a key factor in this decision. The final announcement will be made shortly before the elections, and there’s a possibility of extending the closure based on the situation. To address the shortage of over 25,000 policemen for election duties, the government plans to mobilize officials from various departments, with collaboration from the Frontier Constabulary and Frontier Corps to ensure a peaceful election.
2024 Elections Schedule
General elections in Pakistan are set for February 8, 2024, to elect members of the 16th National Assembly, as announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan on December 15, 2023. The major contenders are the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Schedule
| Event | Date | |
| 1 | Public Notice Issued | 19 December 2023 |
| 2 | Dates of filing Nomination papers with the Returning Officers by the candidates | 20 December 2023 to 24 December 2023 |
| 3 | Publication of names of the candidates. | 24 December 2023 |
| 4 | Last date of scrutiny of nomination papers by the Returning Officer | 25 December 2023 to 30 December 2023 |
| 5 | Last date of filing appeals against decisions of the Returning Officer. | 3 January 2024 |
| 6 | Last date for deciding of appeals | 10 January 2024 |
| 7 | Revised list of candidates | 11 January 2024 |
| 8 | Last date of withdrawal of candidature | 12 January 2024 |
| 9 | Allotment of election symbol | 13 January 2024 |
| 10 | Date of Polling and Counting of Votes | ————- |
Backdrop of 2018 Elections
In the backdrop of the 2018 elections, where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the largest party, the political landscape has witnessed a constitutional crisis in 2022, leading to a change in leadership. The schedule for the upcoming elections has stirred controversy, involving delays and legal disputes. Notably, the PTI faced challenges, including a de facto ban through an intra-party election verdict, raising concerns about the fairness of the electoral process.
Rigging Concerns
Observers have pointed to possible pre-poll rigging, especially concerning actions against the PTI and its leader, Imran Khan, such as the rejection of nomination papers. These actions have fueled allegations of ‘election engineering’ and manipulative practices, casting doubt on the integrity of the electoral process.