LAHORE: The PPP has alleged that bogus voter lists have been included in the Lahore seat of the Azad Kashmir election to benefit one of the candidates.

“Even after publishing the final voter lists the Election Commission, Lahore, is still making changes, which it cannot under the law. Today we have submitted the voter lists of Shadbagh and Badami Bagh in which dozens of duplicate votes are found,” PPP candidate Umar Sharif Bokhari said.

Talking to Dawn on Wednesday, he said there were about 4,000 votes for the Lahore seat of the Azad Kahmir election, which is going to be held on July 21. “A candidate is making all-out efforts to include bogus votes in the lists to secure the seat,” he said, adding the ECP Lahore had promised to look into the matter after he and another candidate pinpointed irregularities in the lists.

He said some 10 polling stations had been set up in the city but some of them were too far from the neighbourhood of the voters.

The PPP had won the Lahore seat in the last two elections. This time there has been a close competition betwen Mr Bokhari, Ghulam Abbas Mir (PML-N) and Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan (PTI). Earlier, both Mir and Dewan were part of the PPP.

Some candidates have also requested the ECP to hold the election in Lahore under the Rangers and army.

“Last time the Azad Kashmir election in Lahore was deferred owing to violence. The ECP must ensure army’s presence on the election day,” Mr Bokhari said.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2016