MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 02 (Alliance News): Senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Sunday alleged widespread irregularities in the ongoing Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, claiming the electoral process had failed to meet standards of transparency and fairness.
Speaking to the media during the second phase of polling in Muzaffarabad Division, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the PPP had submitted evidence of alleged electoral rigging to the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, but no effective action had been taken on the complaints.
He said conducting free, fair and transparent elections was the Election Commission’s constitutional responsibility, adding that the institution had failed to fulfil its mandate.
The former prime minister alleged that the current electoral process appeared to be pre-determined and warned that results marred by alleged rigging would not gain public acceptance.
He claimed that several PPP candidates who had secured victories in Mirpur Division were later declared defeated, raising serious concerns over the credibility of the election process.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also alleged that a PPP worker lost his life during polling in Nikyal, while polling in the constituency of Javed Ayub was postponed on the grounds that election materials had not reached the polling stations.
Questioning the explanation, he said polling materials are normally delivered to polling stations a day before voting, making the postponement difficult to justify.
He further criticised remarks by some leaders of the **Pakistan Muslim League (N)>, alleging they had downplayed incidents of vote theft.
He maintained that ballot papers reflect the true public mandate and stressed that transparency is essential to preserving public confidence in the democratic process.