Islamabad – As the people of Pakistan cast their votes amid economic and political turmoil, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and other prominent incarcerated political figures participated in the electoral process through the postal ballot system. According to Pakistani news outlet Dawn, Khan and some of his supporters who are serving their sentence in the Adiala Jail cast their votes through a postal ballot. However, insider sources also told the news outlet that Khan's wife Bushra Bibi missed out on casting her vote. 

According to Dawn, other incarcerated political leaders who have managed to vote by mail included former Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, and former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry. Meanwhile, Bushra was unable to partake in the voting process since she was convicted and arrested after the completion of the postal voting process. Days before the voting commenced, the former prime minister was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the Cypher case. Both Khan and his wife were sentenced to prison for 14 years in the Toshakahna case and the couple was also convicted for 7 years in the “illegal” marriage case. 

Less than 100 prisoners voted in Adiala Jail

According to Pakistani news outlet Dawn, less than 100 prisoners of Adiala Jail were able to vote which constitutes only one per cent of the jail's total strength which is 7,000 inmates. The sources also noted that the jail administration allowed only those inmates to cast their votes who had valid computerised national identity cards (CNICs). “There are criminals, dacoits, thieves, convicts in the heinous crimes and under-trial prisoners (UTPs) detained in the jail,” a senior official told Dawn on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Adiala Jail received the postal ballots from the Election Commission of Pakistan in mid-January and the ballots were provided to the inmates. The last date for submitting the ballot was January 22. Khan's wife Bushra on the other hand issued a formal request to cast her votes, however, the plea was not entertained since the voting the voting process was completed by the time she was detained. Mashal Yousafzai, a spokesperson for Bushra Bibi, confirmed that the spouse of the former prime minister had been denied casting the vote, Dawn News reported.