New Delhi, July 28: Reports from local media indicate that the first phase of elections in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) was marred by violent clashes, allegations of electoral fraud, and the murder of a political activist. Coalition partners accused each other of undermining the electoral process.
During the voting, one person was killed, and several others were injured. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) exchanged accusations of violence and electoral misconduct.
The PPP claimed that their 35-year-old activist, Mukhtar Younus, was shot dead during voting in Nakyal, Kotli district, and blamed PML-N supporters for the attack. The party stated, “Our activist Mukhtar Younus was killed in incidents of gunfire from PML-N candidates, and two others were injured.”
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed his sorrow over the murder and questioned the response of the authorities, asking, “Where are the relevant officials? What is the Election Commission doing?”
In a joint press conference, Sindh’s Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani accused the PML-N of inciting violence. According to ‘The Express Tribune,’ “Coalition partners in the federal government, PML-N and PPP, accused each other of fraud, while the death of a party worker in POK impacted the electoral process.”
Ghani stated that “the death of party worker Mukhtar Younus, 35, occurred during voting in Nakyal, and the party received information indicating that the gunfire was from PML-N candidates or their supporters. He also mentioned that several PPP workers were injured.”
The first phase of voting in POK took place on Monday, with over 1.4 million registered voters. Voting occurred for 13 assembly seats across the districts of Bhimber, Mirpur, and Kotli.
The POK government has urged voters to participate in large numbers and declared a public holiday on voting day. Major parties in the fray include PML-N, PPP, and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP). Approximately 300 candidates are contesting for the 13 seats in this first phase.
An official claimed that the electoral process in POK is merely a facade, as the results have already been predetermined by the Pakistani military. Under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, the military has played a crucial role in ensuring that the Pakistani government does not yield to the demands of the people of POK. The official stated that the military aims to maintain complete control over the political atmosphere in POK to suppress any future protests with force.
Leave a Comment