AJK elections: Firdous challenges opposition to bring out evidence of rigging

LAHORE: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has challenged the opposition to bring out any evidence of rigging in AJK elections.

The AJK elections had projected two diametrically opposed narratives to attract voters and international masters. One narrative was intrinsically linked with national security, public welfare, defence of the country as well as the projection of Kashmiris right of self-determination, on the contrary, the political narrative of the opposition was aimed at dividing the nation, attacking state institutions and polarizing the nation, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said while addressing a news conference at the DGPR Office here on Monday.

Dr Firdous said the PTI under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan raised a strong voice at the international fora to project Kashmiris' right to self-determination as well as exposed Hindu supremacist Modi regime. She said the nation is fully aware that the Sharif family-led PML-N continuously negated the right of self-determination of the Kashmiris and secretly helped the Modi regime by undermining Pakistan's just stance over the Kashmir issue.

The Special Assistant said that it is fully satisfying that the Kashmiris have supported PM Imran Khan as they know that the PTI is a strong advocate of their rights. The results have reaffirmed that Imran Khan lives in the hearts of the Kashmiris and he is a benefactor to them. She said the venomous tongue of Maryam Safdar repeated her stance that they want power and authority at every cost and their cronies be allowed to continue loot and plunder.

Dr Firdous said that Maryam Safdar believes in a democracy in which the Sharif family is above the law and the whole country bows before them. The Sharif family wants every institution, democracy and state resources to follow their dictum because they consider themselves above the law, she added.

The SACM said the AJK PM belonged to PML-N and the election laws were formulated under his leadership. We raised reservations over it as the AJK PM was using every state resource while contesting the election from two seats. How can rigging be made possible by PTI when AJK PM was campaigning while using official vehicles, she questioned. The PTI didn't depute any official in AJK and the whole staff was at the payroll of the PML-N led government. In this situation, the federal government can't steal the election, she said.

The SOPs were violated as the 4th wave of the corona has engulfed Pakistan through Sindh and Afghanistan and the situation is becoming critical with each passing day, concluded the SACM.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021