All opposition parties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir have rejected the government decision to hold elections on the basis of old electoral lists, saying the decision tantamount to interference in the affairs of the Election Commission. The government decision was rejected in a meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party Azad Kashmir executive and parliamentary party, which was chaired by Sahibzada Ishaq Zafar.
Addressing the meeting Zafar said that the party has called a high level meeting to be attended by leader of the opposition Sultan Mehmud Chaudhry, members of Parliamentary party and other opposition leaders to finalise a strategy how to cope with the situation.
Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Kashmir has also rejected the decision and demanded compilation of fresh electoral lists in a transparent manner. Acting Amir of JI AJK Noor-ul-Bari said that the government wanted to prevail on the Election Commission by taking such decisions.
The opposition parties alleged that the government has registered bogus votes in the lists and wanted to win the election through rigging. They said Kashmiris migrated after 90 don't have the right to vote as their names were not included in the lists. They demanded preparation of fresh electoral lists on the basis of accurate and precise census and surveys by the elections commission.