Electorally Ep. 1 | Pakistan: The Winners Who Didn’t Win

On the morning of February 8, 2024, Pakistan went to vote, and the government switched off mobile phone service across the country. Weeks earlier, the Supreme Court had ruled that Imran Khan's party, PTI, could not use its election symbol, a cricket bat. Khan himself was in jail, convicted in three cases in the last ten days before the vote. When the results came in, candidates backed by his party had won more seats than anyone else. They still didn't form the government. Saadia Khan talks with Anas Mallick, an Islamabad-based journalist who covers diplomacy, militancy and conflict. Anas spent years as Pakistan bureau chief for the Indian news channel WION, explaining Pakistan to India every day. He is now Pakistan bureau chief for AsiaOne News and writes for Daily Times. He has interviewed both Imran Khan and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. In this episode: What it's like to report an election when the phones go dead Why Pakistani ballots have pictures, and what it meant to lose the bat How Form 45 and Form 47 became the center of the rigging fight The Rawalpindi official who confessed to rigging, then took it back How you win the most seats and still end up in opposition Why women registered in record numbers but turned out at lower rates than men What the diaspora gets wrong about elections back home What the US could learn from Pakistan's election day, and what would make a Pakistani voter laugh at ours. Follow Anas Mallick on X and Instagram: @AnasMallick You can connect with Saadia on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@itssaadiak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email:[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial Review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound I Cover art for the Series: Sarah DiMichele Immigrantly Podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BOYOT (Belong On Your Own Terms) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠is the next step. It’s our new app, designed to help you think through identity, culture, ambition, relationships, and the stories we carry with guided reflections, prompts, and frameworks developed over years of conversations on this show. It’s thoughtful. It’s challenging. And honestly, it’s the kind of space many of us wish existed earlier in our lives. If you’re ready to go deeper than the podcast, subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BOYOT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and start the journey. Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Immigrantly Uninterrupted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices