ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has called for free and fair elections in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and asked the election commission to take notice of the alleged pre-poll rigging. Speaking a press conference here Monday, the PPP secretary-general, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, said that the role of the Kashmir Election Commission is in question as many refugee voters have been removed from the electoral list.
He alleged that the PML-N prime minister of the AJK is also using the administration in the election campaign of his party. He said that he wants to tell the Election Commission that they are committed to holding free and fair elections.
He said that the PTI government is using Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa resources for votes and the ECP should take notice of this. He said that the election schedule is released first and the voter lists came later. Pressure is being used to vote for the PTI candidates. We want to demand of the Election Commission to play its role under its constitution.
There are moves to rig the elections. The Election Commission should ensure fair and transparent elections, he added. Bukhari said that PPP's voters' names have been struck off the voters' list. He said that refugee voters are pressurised to vote for the PTI, adding that Azad Kashmir Prime Minister is trying to rig the elections by using administration.
He said that development funds and employment are being distributed in the AJK. Constitution does not allow a refugee to contest on seats for refugees. "According to the constitution, free and fair elections are the responsibility of the Azad Kashmir Election Commission.
If there are no clean and transparent elections, Pakistan's position on Kashmir will be weakened. In Occupied Kashmir, we blame Modi for holding unfair elections," he added. Sardar Salim of the PPP Azad Kashmir said that the PPP has fought for free and transparent elections in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Unfortunately, transparent elections were not seen in Pakistan, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, he added.
"Election frauds weaken democracy.... Democracy is the name of public opinion, not Imran Khan," he said, adding that transparent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir will strengthen the struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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