Mint Explainer: What’s at stake in Pakistan’s general election?

Pakistan goes the polls on Thursday to elect a new national government. These general elections come after a prolonged period of political instability. Experts speculate that the result may be a foregone conclusion, with the country’s powerful military working to cut Imran Khan’s party down to size. Mint takes a closer look.

For the past few years, Pakistan’s economy has been unable to shake off a persistent crisis. Inflation is rampant, unemployment has shot up, and accessing basic necessities has become harder. Declining foreign exchange reserves and large debts to multilateral and bilateral creditors such as China complete a grim picture for the country’s economy.

Pakistan has also faced political instability since Imran Khan was forced out as prime minister in 2022. His subsequent arrest in 2023 triggered large protests, which saw citizens even direct their anger at Pakistan’s powerful military.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) or PML-N is widely expected to win the election, given that it has the support of Pakistan’s military. A victory could return Nawaz Sharif, a three-time prime minister, to office.

However, analysts say Imran Khan, who served as PM between 2018 and 2022, remains the country’s most popular politician. Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have faced pressure from Pakistan’s powerful military, which has directly or indirectly controlled the country’s politics for decades. Khan himself has been barred from running in the elections and has been sentenced to jail on charges of corruption and violating Pakistan’s Official Secrets Act.

Finally, there is the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by the prominent Bhutto-Zardari family. While the PPP played a role in the coalition government that