By Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan

According to the Central Election Commission elections Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was re-elected with 87.1 percent votes. More than 15 million voters participated in Sunday’s elections. 

The preliminary results shows that 15 million 651 thousand 405 voters, or 79.88 percent of the total voters, took part in the Uzbekistan Presidential Election. Candidate from UzLiDeP Shavkat Mirziyoev achieved the highest votes with 87.05 percent; candidate from “Adolat” SDP Robakhon Makhmudova secured 4.43 percent; candidate from the People’s Democratic Party Ulugbek Inoyatov achieved 4.02 percent and candidate from the Ecological Party Abdushukur Khamzayev registered 3.74 percent votes. 

Mirziyoyez called a snap election after changing the constitution through a legitimate referendum. Most recently presidential election was the biggest political event in Uzbekistan which ultimately changed the nature, composition, style and governance model of the state. 

The incumbent president Mirziyoyez initiated numerous structural reforms that simplified taxes, removed hurdles for businesses and allowed many to solve their bureaucratic problems via petitions on the presidential website. Even human rights have been provisioned and protected under the regime of Mirziyoyev. He ended forced labour in the country’s cotton fields and released political prisoners jailed. 

Critical analysis reveals that Mirziyoyev’s re-election campaign mainly focused on the economy and education. He has said he aims to double the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to $160bn in the near future.

Election was fair, free and transparent and conducted according to the international recognized standards of electoral process in terms of electioneering, politicization and democratization. 

The state remained completely neutral before and during the election. The CEC being the independent organization remained impartial and vigilant to maintain utmost impartiality, transparency, and accountability and held a remarkable election in which not a single incident of fake voting/proxy voting, snatching of votes was reported. Moreover, there was no incident of any structural or administrative comparative advantage to any specific political candidate or party during the whole process of presidential election which vividly reflected high level of political maturity, electoral diversity, existence of strong political opposition and last but not least, rules of the law in the country. 

However, as usual and expected the initial report of the OSCE termed this presidential election as lacked genuine competition. Moreover, the Europe Radio labeled it scripted election. The War & Peace Institute projected the same as compromised electoral process because of no political activism.

Frankly speaking, four political parties rigorously participated in the said election which clearly negated the false and fake propaganda of the western media especially the prejudiced OSCE’s initial report. On the other hand, the recently held election was not scripted rather it was streamlined and systematically held. 

In this regard, all SOPs of the electoral code, political parties’ procedure and political campaign was strictly followed and across the board implemented, indicating  provision of equal political rights to all the candidates in terms of sanctions of funds, seeking of foreign funding, allocation of media time and last but not least utility of social media. Thus screaming of the EU radio against election is not based on facts rather mixtures of self-made fairytales and personal taboos. 

Ironically the War & Peace Institute intentionally considered the election as lacked political activism. On the other hand, participation of 15 million voters with turn out near to 80 percent along with more than 900 international observers, responsible NGOs, and vibrant media only a blind or color blind may hold this kind of statement which is completely untrue and ineffective.       

Obviously merchants of false and fake propaganda miserably failed and caravan of political stability, economic sustainability and societal sensitivity won the hearts and souls of the common people who freely exercised their electoral rights and voted for socio-economic prosperity, continuation of structural reform, wellbeing of common people, social development, overhauling of governance, judicial transformation and last but not least re-balancing of administrative and electoral powers in the political system.        

Mirziyoyev, a successful reformer who created a new national narrative of a "New Uzbekistan and after his grand slid victory the country has now entered into New Era. Mirziyoyev says he plans to open up tourism and investment in the country. 

The election and the election campaign was not "low-key, mirroring a lack of opposition to the incumbent as described by the OSCE. Rather it was open, inclusive, transparent, free and fair. Supporters of all political parties were fully charged and arranged lots of corner meetings and in door discussions.  

To conclude, the most recently presidential election was the first giant step towards liberalized democracy, protecting of human rights, provision of basic necessities of life, wellbeing of common people, achieving the desired goals of socio-economic prosperity and regional integration. 

It was an agenda based, performance based, ideology based and last but not least, prosperity based election in which every political party had its own unique program to attract the common voters. So, western sick mindedness has no place to spread rumors.  

It was not authoritarian based election in which whims and wishes prevailed rather it was reflection of national policies translating good things in the life of common people. Therefore, western political manipulation will not achieve anything expect self-destruction.

The re-election of Mirziyoyev vividly reflects the continuation of strong spirits of regionalism and carrying of wise traditions of dialogue, diplomacy and development to resolve emerging issues. 

It is the message of immense economic integration, formation of trans-regional connectivity, high volumes of trading, simplification of custom duties, marching towards desired digitalization, e-commerce and social development.

The convincing electoral victory confirms popular support for Mirziyoye, his policies, programs and projects. The Chinese president Xi Jinping also offered congratulations as well as praise for Mirziyoyev's leadership. The re-election of Mirziyoyev would be value addition for the strategic expansion of the BRI in the days to come.

Additionally it would also be useful for the joining of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and achieving the dreams of greater regional connectivity.

It would further promote the continuous development of the China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership and inject new impetus into the construction of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future. 

By Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan

Executive Director: The Center for South & International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad

Regional Expert: Uzbekistan & CIS 

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