ISLAMABAD: The president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Azad Jammu Kashmir chapter, Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, has accused the AJK government of rigging before the upcoming general elections of the Legislative Assembly.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, the former prime minister of AJK said the recent release of funds for roads and many other projects in various constituencies and provision of jobs to workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was tantamount to pre-poll rigging. The PML-N’s central government had also released funds and approved development projects during previous general elections, he added.

Mr Chaudhry said the PTI government had released maximum funds for AJK during the past two and a half years and it was its top priority to initiate work on mega development projects in AJK as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Health cards would also be issued to the people of AJK, he said.

He said the PTI was the centre of attraction for the people of AJK due to its pro-poor policies.

The former prime minister said the PTI wanted free, fair and transparent elections in the AJK to end the allegations of rigging in the elections.

Mr Chaudhry said he would like all the candidates to contest elections in a good manner. He said the Chief Election Commissioner should devise a code of conduct in consultation with all political parties.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had presented the Kashmir case in an effective manner at the United Nations General Assembly and exposed the real face of India before the comity of nations. The government of Pakistan was firmly standing with the Kashmiri people in their struggle to get freedom from the Indian occupation forces.

In reply to a question, he said the PTI would contest elections without making an electoral alliance with any political party and it would pursue a policy of indiscriminate accountability in the AJK.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2021