Pakistan's opposition leader praises 'enemy country' India's free and fair Lok Sabha elections

In a recent address to the Pakistani Senate, Syed Shibli Faraz, Leader of the Opposition and member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), commended India for its free and fair conduct of the recent general elections. He expressed his wish for Pakistan to adopt a similar electoral process.

Commendation of Indian Electoral Process

Faraz highlighted the integrity of India's Lok Sabha elections, noting the absence of allegations of rigging. “I don’t want to quote the example of our enemy country. Recently, elections were held there (India), and over 800 million people cast their votes. There were thousands and lakhs of polling stations, with some polling stations even established for just one voter in a place. The entire month-long exercise was conducted with the help of EVMs. Was there a single voice claiming that the election was rigged?” he stated.

Call for Electoral Reform in Pakistan

He lamented Pakistan's struggles with electoral legitimacy and the reluctance of losing candidates to concede defeat. Faraz emphasized the need for a smoother transfer of power in Pakistan. “And how smoothly the power was transferred. We also want to be in the same situation. This country has been fighting for legitimacy. Here, those who have lost the polls don’t concede, and the winner is also elected at his own will. This kind of approach has hollowed our political system,” he added.

India's Successful Election

The recent Lok Sabha elections in India were conducted in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with results declared on June 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance formed the government, with Narendra Modi serving a third consecutive term as Prime Minister.

International Recognition

This praise from Faraz is not an isolated incident. Just a week earlier, Pakistani ambassador Husain Haqqani lauded India's democratic process. “It is hard not to be impressed by the magnitude of India’s democracy. 44-day election exercise, 900 million eligible voters, 640 million ballots cast (half of them by women), 67% turnout, 1.1 million polling booths, 5.5 million electronic voting machines!” Haqqani shared on X.

These statements from Pakistani leaders underscore a growing recognition of India's robust electoral system and highlight a desire for similar democratic practices in Pakistan.