AJK PM threatens to stage sit-in against alleged meddling in July 25 polls

MUZAFFARABAD: AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has threatened to stage a sit-in in Islamabad if “direct meddling by the prime minister of Pakistan and his ministers” in the forthcoming elections did not stop.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet members are brazenly desecrating and contravening AJK’s Constitution. I want to place my case before the people of Pakistan,” PML-N’s Raja Farooq said while addressing a press conference in Muzaffarabad today (Monday).

The AJP premier said, “Aren’t the AJK Constitution, rules and regulations binding on them? Do they consider AJK people slaves who can be bought with money?” He maintained that the Kashmiris had never accepted slavery and they wanted to become part of Pakistan as “equal and free” citizens.

Citing the example of Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, saying that the AJK Election Commission had not only ordered the police to proceed against him under law but had also asked him to leave the territory.

“However, Prime Minister Imran Khan has not only been bringing Gandapur along with him in AJK but he has also been allowing him to deliver speeches in what amounts to a serious disgrace to the people,” he added.

Haider claimed that despite employing resources of the state, the premier had failed to make headway towards success of his party. He claimed that his party was destined to once again form government in the AJK.

“This has made Imran Khan jittery and out of this feeling he is denting the interests of the state of Pakistan,” he alleged. The Election Commission in AJK on July 16 slapped a ban on Gandapur from participating in election-related events in the region.

The ban was imposed on him after he had made unpleasant comments in his speeches at different public meetings in AJK in violation of the election code and also created “law and order problems” with his acts, as observed by the election commission.