PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal has served a show cause notice on a party candidate in the AJK general elections for his controversial statement a day ago wherein he threatened to “call India for help” if attempts were made [by the government] to rig the polls.

Chaudhry Ismail Gujjar, representing the PML-N in the AJK elections from LA-35, spoke to journalists in Gujranwala after he reportedly had arguments with the election staff at a nearby polling station.

During the talk, which was also aired on TV channels, Gujjar said: “If you try to commit such an act [rig elections], I will call India for help ... I warn you this is the election of Azad Kashmir and its people, let it be peaceful.”

Promptly reacting to the statement that was severely criticised on social media, Ahsan Iqbal issued a show cause notice to Gujjar.

“A statement given by you appeared on the electronic media in which you have irresponsibly stated that you will seek help from India for your election,” the notice reads, asking Gujjar to furnish an explanation within seven days and warning him of strict disciplinary action if he failed to comply with the order.

'Better to serve notice to Nawaz'

The controversial statement from the PML-N candidate also got the attention of the government, with federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry taking exception to Gujjar's remarks and referring to him as a “political orphan”.

While appreciating the PML-N for issuing a show cause notice to the "enemy of Pakistan", he said it would have been better had the party served a notice on its supremo Nawaz Sharif and grilled him for meeting Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib in London last week.

Sharif’s meeting with the Afghan NSA was condemned by government officials after pictures from the occasion were released on Twitter by the National Security Council of Afghanistan on July 24.

Criticising Sharif for the meeting, several PTI ministers said it "proved his [Nawaz's] connections with Pakistan's enemies".

The reprisal from the ministers came because earlier this year in May, the Afghan NSA had made derogatory remarks against Pakistan, referring to the country as a "brothel".

In reaction to his statements, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had lashed out at Mohib, saying "no Pakistani will shake your hand or talk with you if you don't desist from the kind of language you are using or the accusations you're making against Pakistan."

Read: 'Close friend of Pakistan's enemies': PTI ministers blast Nawaz Sharif for meeting Afghan NSA