-Information Minister says PML-N should accept defeat in Kashmir elections
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Correspondent
MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership on Tuesday while alleging pre-poll rigging in Azad Kashmir elections refused to accept election results.
Addressing a press conference in Muzaffarabad on Tuesday, the PML-N leadership said that the votes were stolen by distributing money and it is unfortunate that the electoral process is in the hands of the state. They said it was being discussed to change the status of a state by bringing in a “dummy prime minister”, and asked how a non-representative government would take the Kashmir cause forward.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the political environment and traditions of Azad Kashmir were attacked and attempts are being made to bring people to power with money.
“We reject this election and consider it a robbery on the rights of Kashmir,” he added. He said that changing Kashmir’s status into a province is a violation of resolutions of the United Nation.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday while reacting to the presser of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership said that the PML-N was defeated despite being in power in Azad Kashmir and having control of state machinery.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, he raised a question saying who can rig elections when the PML-N was in power in AJK and had their own Election Commissioner. The minister said the opposition cry rigging where they lose election, adding the PML-N should concede defeat in Azad Kashmir elections.
Chaudhry went on to say that the government and opposition should be on the same page on national issues, adding that the opposition parties should bring proposals for electoral reforms.
Earlier, in his tweet, the information minister had rejected the impression of deadlock between government and opposition for appointment of members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Fawad Chaudhry said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will seek opinion of Opposition Leader of National Assembly for the appointments as government want an election commission which enjoys confidence of all parties.
He further said that such an ECP will be in national interest of Pakistan.
