Pakistan's independent human rights commission has raised serious concerns about the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country, stating that there is little chance of them being free and fair due to pre-poll rigging. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan highlighted the rejection of nomination papers for most candidates of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, raising questions about the credibility of the Election Commission. The co-chairperson of the commission, Munizae Jahangir, expressed alarm at the systematic dismemberment of the PTI and the clampdown on dissent, which she believes has further constricted civic discourse.

Farhatullah Babar, a veteran human rights leader, criticized the Election Commission's decisions, including the disqualification of Imran Khan from running for office, as apparent pre-poll rigging. Khan, who is currently serving a three-year prison sentence for corruption and faces several other charges, sought to run for a seat in the National Assembly despite the possibility of his nomination papers being rejected. However, election officials barred him from running due to his conviction, dealing a fresh blow to the former cricketer, who is the country's most popular opposition figure.

The commission emphasized that people should be allowed to vote for their candidate of choice and warned that a disputed election outcome would create further political instability in the country. It urged Pakistan's caretaker government to ensure free and fair elections and called on the Election Commission to provide equal opportunities to all political parties. With just weeks left until the scheduled elections, the situation remains tense, and concerns about the integrity of the electoral process continue to grow.