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Pakistan – 2024 General Election
The research publication published by the House of Commons Library on 28 May 2024.

Document (in .pdf format)

SUMMARY

Pakistan: 2024 general election

The research briefing summarizes the events leading up to and following Pakistan’s 2024 general election. It details the electoral system, the main political parties, and the influence of the military in Pakistani politics.

Key points:
- Election results: Independents backed by the PTI party, led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, won the largest number of directly elected seats but fell short of a majority. The PML-N and PPP formed a coalition government, with Shehbaz Sharif as Prime Minister and Asif Ali Zardari as President.
- PTI’s legal challenges: The PTI faced legal setbacks, including being barred from contesting the election as a party and the imprisonment of Imran Khan on corruption charges. The party’s candidates ran as independents and were subsequently denied reserved seats in the National Assembly.
- Vote-rigging allegations and protests: PTI supporters protested the election results, alleging widespread vote-rigging. The international community expressed concerns about the fairness and inclusivity of the elections.
- Military’s influence: The military remains a powerful force in Pakistani politics and is believed to have played a role in preventing the PTI from returning to power.
- Challenges for the new government: The new government faces significant challenges, including a severe economic crisis, rising terrorist violence, and strained relations with neighboring Afghanistan.
The briefing concludes by analyzing the potential durability of the new government and the ongoing role of the military in Pakistani politics. It also discusses the economic, security, and foreign policy challenges that the new government will need to address.
05/06/2024
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 3 June 1924

3 JUNE 1924

The King’s Birthday honours included a Baronetcy for Alexander Grant of Edinburgh and a Knighthood for the Right Hon William Lowrie Sleigh, Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

The Prime Minister stated in the House of Commons that the question of Government aid in the construction of a Channel tunnel in order to assist the unemployed had been brought to his notice.

All three candidates taking part in the Oxford by-election were old Blues of the University. Socialism was making its first bid for the representation for the city and the repeal of the McKenna duties was one of the few concrete issues of the campaign.

05/06/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Russia constructs false narrative of victimhood – UK statement to the OSCE [June 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 June 2024.

UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, says Russia has chosen to construct a false narrative of victimhood as it attacks its smaller neighbour, stifling debate as the facts around its illegal invasion are unpalatable and laid bare for all to see.

Thank you, Mr Chair. Since we met in this forum last week Russia has continued to press across the front line. However, it does so reaping little strategic gain and at significant cost.

Where Russia has attempted to attack military targets, the results have been notably modest. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have repelled Russia’s attacks on the village of Starytsia, close to Vovchansk, inflicting significant losses on Russia’s forces. Only three weeks’ ago, I mentioned that Russia was on track to sustain half a million casualties by 2025. Throughout May, however, Russia’s casualties have averaged over 1,200 per day – the highest reported since the start of the war – and that figure of 500,000 has now already likely been reached.

However, Russia’s offensive in Kharkiv has also had a devastating impact on the local civilian population as they have resorted to pulverising residential areas and striking non-military targets. In the last two weeks, Russia has struck a Ukrainian home improvement store, hit a residential apartment block, and turned a Ukrainian printing house to rubble, instantly killing dozens of civilians in the process. These attacks show not only a wilful disregard for civilian lives but the real intention behind Russia’s war – to terrorise the innocent and attack Ukrainian culture and identity in all its forms.

Mr Chair, this senseless and illegal invasion could end tomorrow if Russia chose to withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s territory. Unfortunately, we have seen no will from Russia to do so. Rather, it is attempting to double down, regardless of the misery it inflicts on the Ukrainian population and its own people.

Russia has chosen to construct a false narrative of victimhood as it attacks its smaller neighbour. It has chosen to weaponise this Forum, to stifle discussion and debate because the facts around its illegal invasion are unpalatable and laid bare for all the delegates here to see.

The United Kingdom will maintain its support for Ukraine in the face of this aggression, along with all of those who believe in international law and the principles upon which this organisation was founded. Thank you.

05/06/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Dean of Lichfield [June 2024]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 5 June 2024.

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Janet Elizabeth McFarlane, Interim Dean of Lichfield and an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield, for appointment as Dean of Lichfield, in succession to The Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, following his retirement.

Background

Janet (known as Jan) was educated at Sheffield University, and trained for the ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham. She served her title in the Stafford Team Ministry, in the Diocese of Lichfield and was ordained priest in 1994. She became Chaplain of Ely Cathedral in 1996, before being appointed as Director of Communications for the Diocese of Norwich in 1999. Between 2001 and 2009, Jan served additionally as Chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich. In 2009, she was appointed Archdeacon of Norwich, whilst remaining Director of Communications for the Diocese.

In 2016, Jan was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Repton, in the Diocese of Derby, and has been the non-stipendiary Canon Custos at Lichfield Cathedral and Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield since retiring as Bishop of Repton in 2020. She has been Interim Dean for the last year.

05/06/2024
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 2 June 1924

2 JUNE 1924

Raymond Poincare, the French leader, resigned from office.

Two thousand Merseyside bricklayers and masons came out on strike, unauthorised by their trade unions, against the proposal of the employers to readjust the national rates of pay, which in the case of Merseyside would mean a reduction. The employers are meeting on Wednesday to consider the position, and a national lock-out is threatened.

Important conversations on the Ulster boundary question took place at Chequers between Sir James Craig, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, with Mr Cosgrave, the President of the Irish Free State, and Ramsay MacDonald, the Prime Minister.

Japan’s protest against the exclusion clause embodied in the new United States immigration law was delivered in Washington, along with a request that the American Government should take all possible steps to the removal of the discriminatory measures.

The four leading unions concerned in the Ruhr miners’ dispute having recommended acceptance of the arbitrator’s award, a settlement has been arrived at. About a million people unconnected with the dispute were thrown out of work by the strike.

04/06/2024
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 1 June 1924

1 JUNE 1924

Stanley Baldwin, the former Prime Minister, speaking to his constituents in Worcester said:

“If I gauge the feeling of people rightly, there has been underlying, subconsciously, perhaps, a very strong feeling throughout the electorate, not only here, but also on the Continent, that the war would have been fought in vain if something was not to come out of it that would lead to better circumstances and to a better environment for the working masses of the peoples of the world. As a result of that feeling there came swiftly into their minds a reaction against any Government that might be in power. It is perfectly obvious that no Government can bring the people all they desire. Their desires are largely inarticulate, but they do want to see things different, and they call on fresh Governnments in the hope that they may find in them what they want.”

Railway shopmen employed on the London Electric and Great Northern Railways are threatening to come out on strike later on in the week.

04/06/2024
NEWS STORY : Darren Rodwell Dropped as Labour’s General Election Candidate for Barking

STORY

Darren Rodwell, the Labour leader of Barking Council, has been deselected as the Labour candidate for the Barking constituency following allegations of misconduct which have been made against him including misusing his power to find the address of an individual. Rodwell and the Labour Party have so far refused to comment on the decision, but it’s expected that the new Labour candidate will be announced within the next 48 hours.

04/06/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Bishop of Exeter [June 2024]

The press release issued by the 10 Downing Street on 4 June 2024.

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Mike Harrison, Suffragan Bishop of Dunwich in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, for election as Bishop of Exeter, in succession to The Right Reverend Robert Atwell, following his retirement.

Background

Mike’s undergraduate studies were in Mathematics & Statistics at Selwyn College, Cambridge, after which he worked as both a Management Consultant and a Social Worker in London. He trained for ministry at Oxford and served as Assistant Curate at St Anne and All Saints, South Lambeth in the Southwark Diocese for four years. During this time he studied for a PhD in Doctrine at King’s College, London University. Mike went on to be Chaplain at Bradford University and Bradford and Ilkley Community College, where he was also Diocesan World Development Advisor, and completed an MA in International Development Studies at Bradford University. From 1998 he was Vicar of Holy Trinity, Eltham in the Diocese of Southwark, also serving as Rural Dean of Eltham and Mottingham. He moved to Leicester Diocese in 2006 as Director of Mission and Ministry.

In 2016, Mike took up his current role as Suffragan Bishop of Dunwich in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich with a keen focus on mission & evangelism, discipleship, engaging children & young people and cultivating vocations.

Mike is married to Rachel, an Occupational Therapist and they have four adult children. He is a passionate supporter of Bolton Wanderers (having been born in Bolton) and (not unrelatedly) has an interest in live comedy, as well as being a beekeeper and baker of cakes.

04/06/2024
RESOURCES : Jane MacLeod – General Counsel of the Post Office

RESOURCES

Biography issued by the Post Office in 2016:

“Jane joined the Post Office in January 2015 as General Counsel and is a member of the Post Office Group Executive. Educated at the Australian National University, Jane qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and has subsequently gained significant experience both in private practice and in-house in a variety of roles, most recently as General Counsel with Phoenix Group Holdings where she was a member of Group Executive Committee with responsibility for the Legal and Corporate Secretariat functions. Jane’s background is in corporate finance particularly in relation to financial services. Her responsibilities at the Post Office now include Legal, Governance, Risk & Internal Audit, and Information Security.”

04/06/2024
Horizon Inquiry’s Chair’s 2024 Statement Regarding Former Post Office General Counsel, Jane MacLeod
The statement issued by the Chair of the Horizon IT Inquiry on 24 May 2024.
1. Many of you will have noticed that Jane MacLeod was listed to give evidence on 3 and 4 June 2024, but that her name has been removed from the timetable. I wish to make a brief statement on this matter and the background to Ms MacLeod’s removal from the timetable.
2. The Inquiry sent Ms MacLeod a request to produce a written witness statement pursuant to rule 9 of the Inquiry Rules 2006. I was satisfied before seeing Ms MacLeod’s draft witness statement that she would be an important witness from whom I wished to hear oral evidence. On 23 February 2024, the Inquiry wrote to Ms MacLeod to inform her that she was listed to give oral evidence on 3 and 4 June 2024. Thereafter, my team and Ms MacLeod’s representatives liaised regarding practical arrangements for her attending the Inquiry to give evidence.
3. Ms MacLeod provided a draft of her witness statement on 11 April 2024. Her recognised legal representative informed the Inquiry that, due to the passage of time, Ms MacLeod considered that her written statement was the best evidence that she could offer and that she was “questioning…whether she would be able to assist the Inquiry further” by providing oral evidence. The Inquiry restated its position that it considered it important to hear oral evidence from Ms MacLeod. Further, it offered to meet Ms MacLeod’s travel and accommodation expenses. However, Ms MacLeod has made it clear that she will not co-operate with the Inquiry by providing oral evidence, whether by attending the Inquiry in person or by giving evidence remotely via live video link.
4. I have considered the options available to me in respect of Ms MacLeod. I note that the conventional view is that section 21 of the Inquiries Act 2005 cannot be used to compel witnesses who are based abroad and not UK nationals to give evidence. If that is correct, then I have no further express power under the Inquiries Act 2005 to compel Ms MacLeod to attend. However, even if that conventional view is wrong, I consider that there is little benefit in serving Ms MacLeod with a notice under section 21. Issuing the notice is different from enforcing it, and I consider that the methods of enforcement available to me are very limited in respect of a person who is resident abroad.
5. First, I could seek an order of enforcement in the High Court pursuant to section 36 of the Inquiries Act 2005. However, the High Court in England and Wales would not have the power to compel Ms MacLeod to give evidence whilst she is based in Australia. As such, section 36 does not take matters much further.
6. Second, section 35(1) of the Inquiries Act 2005 provides that a person is guilty of an offence if he or she fails without reasonable excuse to do anything that he or she is required to do by a section 21 notice. For the purposes of argument, I shall assume, without making a final decision, that where a non-UK national who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a section 21 notice served whilst he or she is outside of the UK, he or she commits a criminal offence. Even in those circumstances, this would mean that Ms MacLeod may face criminal sanction in this country, but it would not bring her before the Inquiry. In order to do that, a magistrates’ court would have to convict Ms MacLeod in her absence and sentence her to a term of imprisonment of four months or more. In those circumstances, it may be that extradition proceedings could be initiated against Ms MacLeod: see section 148(5) of the Extradition Act 2003. Assuming that it was proper and possible to take all of those steps, it would be an extraordinarily long process. I am in little doubt that it would be impossible to do that within a reasonable timeframe for me to report to Parliament.
7. I therefore consider that there are no adequate means of compelling Ms MacLeod to attend pursuant to the Inquiries Act 2005. However, I note that I have received a considerable amount of disclosure on the issues that are relevant to Ms MacLeod. I shall be able to compare what Ms MacLeod says in her witness statement alongside the extensive contemporaneous documentation I have received. Whilst it would have been greatly preferable to hear from Ms MacLeod, I do not consider that her absence prevents me from establishing the facts of her involvement in the matters relevant to the Terms of Reference. As such, I propose that we read Ms MacLeod’s statement into the record.
8. Sir Wyn Williams
04/06/2024