Pakistani opposition leader Shibli Faraz lauded India's electoral process, citing its efficiency, transparency, and peaceful power transition. Faraz made these remarks during a parliamentary session, emphasising India's successful use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) without any allegations of fraud.
"Elections have just taken place there (in India). Millions of people voted. There were thousands of polling stations. Even for a person living in a remote area, a polling station was set up. The election lasted for a month and was conducted using EVMs. Not a single voice has been raised that the election was rigged. We want to progress in the same way," Faraz stated during the session.
Faraz expressed frustration over the repeated disputes in Pakistan's elections, where losing candidates often refused to accept defeat.
His statement followed the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections in India, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) emerged victorious. The Lok Sabha elections were conducted in seven phases over a month.
Faraz's remarks came amid widespread criticism of Pakistan's own elections held on February 8. These elections were marred by allegations of fraud, particularly against supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The military's preference for Nawaz Sharif over Imran Khan led to accusations of interference and a compromised election process.
Imran Khan's party was reportedly barred from fielding candidates, and many of his supporters running as independents claimed they were forcibly defeated.
The aftermath of the Pakistani elections saw domestic uproar and international concern. Thirty-one members of the US Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging them to recognise Pakistan's new government until the allegations of election interference were thoroughly investigated. The elections were further tainted by reports of violence, blocked mobile services, and delayed result announcements.
Notably, this was not the first time a Pakistani politician praised India. Last month, MP Mustafa Kamal's video hailing India's economy and education system went viral. "Today, the condition in Karachi is that, while the world is going to the moon, children are dying by falling into a gutter in Karachi. On the same screen, there is news that India landed on the Moons, and just two seconds, the news is that a child died in an open gutter in Karachi," Kamal had said.