Tag: Azad Kashmir elections

  • ‘Will seek India’s help’: PML-N’s Ismail Gujjar served show-cause notice over remarks

    ‘Will seek India’s help’: PML-N’s Ismail Gujjar served show-cause notice over remarks

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal has served a show-cause notice to Ismail Gujjar for his controversial statement a day ago during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir election wherein he threatened to “call India for help” if attempts were made [by the government] to rig the polls.

    Talking to the media, Chaudhry Ismail 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.”

    Reacting to the statement, 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 give an explanation within seven days.

    Issuing a clarification on to Geo News, Ismail had said his statement was directed towards the administration. “India kills Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir and over here, these people are taking down our camps,” he had added.

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while appreciating the PML-N for issuing a show-cause notice to a “political orphan” [Gujjar], said it would have been better had the party served a notice to Nawaz Sharif for meeting Pakistan’s enemy. Fawad was referring to Nawaz Sharif’s meeting with Afghan National Security Adviser (NSA) Hamdullah Mohib in London.

    Fawad also commented on the Afghan NSA’s meeting with Sharif on Geo News‘ programme, ‘Jirga’.

  • Azad Kashmir elections: PPP leaders oppose alliance with ‘rival’ PML-N

    Azad Kashmir elections: PPP leaders oppose alliance with ‘rival’ PML-N

    Even though the opposition parties have decided to contest Senate election on a joint platform, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Azad Kashmir chapter, has refused to enter an alliance with its “main rival” — the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — ahead of the elections in Kashmir.

    According to reports, the local PPP leadership has said that the PML-N is its main opponent in the region and it was not possible to field candidates under the banner of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — a 10-party anti-government alliance — due to the very same reason.

    Geo News reported that the PPP leaders gave this answer after PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari sought recommendations from PPP Azad Kashmir on the upcoming elections. 

    “PPP Azad Kashmir’s stance is that how can the party contest the elections jointly with the PML-N when it is its main rival there?” the media outlet reported.

    The PPP, however, said there was a possibility of entering an alliance with the PML-N on 12 out of 33 total seats. 

    The central leadership of the party will make a final decision in this regard.

    Last week, after a six-hour-long meeting, PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman had announced that the opposition parties will contest the upcoming Senate elections on a joint platform.

    He had said that the parties decided to contest the Senate elections together and would not go against each other’s candidates. “Our candidates will be jointly decided,” he had told reporters after the meeting.

    The elections in Azad Kashmir will be held later this year, with the current assembly completing its term in July.