- Ayub says letter, dossier delivered to IMF mission in Islamabad.
- Adds systematic manipulation of democratic process evident.
- “PTI ready to meet visiting IMF delegation for clarification.”
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday forwarded a dossier and letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), detailing “undeniable evidence of widespread electoral rigging in the general elections of 2024”.
“Letter and dossiers delivered to the IMF mission in Islamabad,” Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub wrote on X.
A copy of the letter and dossier, and the Pattan report on general elections 2024 were also forwarded to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, he added. Â
The IMF’s technical mission team is visiting the country to conduct a governance and corruption diagnostic assessment (GCDA), the Ministry of Finance said in a statement. It will examine six key governance-related sectors and institutions, the statement added.
In the letter addressed to Mahir Binici, IMF’s country head for Pakistan, Ayub cited former prime minister Imran Khan’s meeting with the IMF delegation on July 7, 2023, in which the PTI founder stressed the need for free and fair elections for the rule of law.
“He further stressed that economic prosperity and growth in a country could only take place when there was rule of law and adherence to the constitution,” the letter stated.
The dossier, he said, contains “substantial facts and proofs of how state institutions, including the Election Commission of Pakistan, suppressed PTI, forcefully snatching its public mandate, and engineering the electoral outcome”.
“The systematic manipulation of the democratic process is evident across the country, undermining the very principles of justice, free will, and constitutional governance,” he added.Â
Given the significance of transparency in economic and political stability, Ayub said his party believes it is imperative that these grave concerns “are brought to the attention of all relevant stakeholders, including international institutions monitoring governance in Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, the opposition leader said that his party was ready to meet the visiting IMF delegation for “any further information or clarification”.
“We trust that upholding the rule of law and democratic integrity will remain a priority in all engagements concerning Pakistan’s future,” he concluded.
The letter came a day after the IMF’s technical mission met Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi to review the judicial framework as part of the ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
According to a press release issued by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the chief justice provided an overview of “the ongoing efforts to enhance judicial performance”.
He informed the delegation, led by Joel Turkewitz, that the judiciary in Pakistan is independent, and being head of the institution, it is his responsibility to protect the independence.
The CJP further said that the judiciary is not used to direct interaction with such missions but since the Finance Division requested, this interaction is taking place. He also said he would be “quite guarded to his comments and views”.
Meanwhile, the IMF delegation acknowledged the judiciary’s role in maintaining legal and institutional stability and expressed its appreciation for ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening governance and accountability.
“The discussion reaffirmed a shared commitment to enhancing judicial efficiency and upholding the rule of law as a cornerstone of economic and social progress,” it stated.
‘Pakistan election audit’
This is not the first time the embattled former ruling party has penned a letter to the global lender.
Last year in Feb, the PTI said it had sent a letter on the matter to the IMF’s Pakistan representative to ensure an audit of the February 8 elections before any more bailout talks with Islamabad.
“We have today sent this letter to IMF,” party’s chairman Barrister Gohar Khan told a news conference in Islamabad.
The letter called on the IMF to honour its commitment to demanding free and fair elections.
In the last interaction between Imran Khan and IMF representatives in 2023, it said, the PTI had agreed to support the lender’s financing facility for Pakistan on condition that free and fair elections be held in the country.
The IMF had sought support from all political parties, including Khan’s, shortly after agreeing with Islamabad on the $3 billion standby arrangement, which the lender said was in the lead-up to national elections.
“An audit of at least 30% of the national and provincial assemblies’ seats should be ensured,” the PTI said in its letter.
However, it was made clear that the PTI and its founding chairman never wanted to create any obstacle to hurt the country’s economy in any way.Â
