AJK Legislative Assembly's elections: PML-N raps federal, AJK governments for 'pre-poll rigging'

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday flayed PPP led central government and the Muslim Conference's (MC) led AJK government for alleged pre-poll rigging in Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly's elections being held on Sunday (today), but said that it would contest the polls at all cost.
Speaking at a news conference here PML-N's chief co-ordinator for AJK, Siddiq-ul-Farooq blamed the federal as well as the AJK governments for resorting to pre-poll rigging by tempering with the electoral rolls and violating the elections laws. Farooq accused the federal government of interfering in AJK polls, doubted credibility of the elections to be held on Sunday, adding the electoral rolls have been tempered to favour PPP candidates. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Saturday announced to boycott the elections in protest against the postponement of the polls on three constituencies.
"The boycott by MQM, which is an allied party of the government, cast doubt on the electoral process and also exposed the intentions of the government to rig the elections," Farooq said. He, however, made it clarified that despite all odds, his party would not boycott the elections and claimed that PML-N would win the polls with thumping majority. "We will not boycott the polls and will not let the field open for the PPP and MC," he added.
To a question whether PML-N would accept results of the elections, he said that PML-N would lodge a strong protest if the elections were rigged, adding it would be premature to say any thing about results. He was of the view that PML-N was in a strong position to win the polls, adding if the party came into power, it would hold accountable all the corrupt elements in AJK. He said that his party has a principled stance on the issue of Kashmir as well as national issues.
He also expressed the hope that the people of Kashmir would reject all those force in the elections, who could not deliver in the past. Farooq alleged that the government was only issuing computerised national identity cards to the PPP voters by depriving supporters of the opposition parties. He further alleged that AJK Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, who is heading the MC, was running election campaign even after the end of campaign period.
He accused the government and election commission of AJK for violating the commitment made with the opposition parties to delay the polls for up to 12 days so as to rectify the electoral rolls, adding that it indicates the ill-intentions of the government to rig the polls.