New Delhi, July 28 — Violent clashes, allegations of electoral rigging, and the killing of a political worker overshadowed the first phase of elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with coalition partners accusing each other of undermining the electoral process, according to local media reports.
At least one person was killed, and several others were injured during polling, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), traded allegations of violence and election malpractice.
The PPP alleged that its worker, 35-year-old Mukhtar Younus, was killed in Kotli district during polling in Nikyal, and accused PML-N supporters of opening fire. In a statement, the party said, “Our party worker, Mukhtar Yunus, was killed and two others injured during incidents of firing by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates.”
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed grief over the killing and questioned the authorities’ response, asking, “Where are the relevant authorities? What is the Election Commission doing?”
Addressing a joint press conference, Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani accused the PML-N of orchestrating the violence.
“The PML-N and the PPP, coalition partners in the federal government, lobbed rigging allegations at each other as a party worker’s death marred the electoral process in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK),” The Express Tribune reported.
According to The Express Tribune, Ghani said “party worker 35-year-old Mukhtar Younus had been killed during polling in Nikyal and alleged that the party had received information indicating the firing had come from the PML-N candidate or his supporters, adding that several PPP workers had also been injured.”
The first phase of polling in PoK was held on Monday, with more than 1.4 million registered voters. Voting took place across 13 Assembly constituencies in the districts of Bhimber, Mirpur and Kotli.
The PoK government has appealed to voters to participate in large numbers and has declared a public holiday on polling day. PML-N, PPP and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) are among the major parties in the fray. Around 300 candidates are contesting the 13 seats going to the polls in the first phase of the elections.
An official claimed that the electoral process in PoK is merely an eyewash, claiming that the outcome has already been decided by the Pakistan military.
The military under Field Marshal Asim Munir has been instrumental in ensuring that the government of Pakistan does not yield to the demands being made by the people of PoK. The army would like to have complete control over the political landscape of PoK so that it can crush any future protests by might, the official said.