AJK polls: CEC asks PM Imran Khan to direct ministers to abide by code of conduct

MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Justice (R) Abdul Rasheed Sulehria has asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to direct his ministers to abide by the code of conduct issued by him to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the region.

According to the Election Commission, a letter has been written by the CEC to the prime minister seeking his directives to ministers to abide by the code of conduct during election campaign that was issued with the consultation of all political parties contesting elections to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in peaceful manner. The prime minister has been suggested in the letter to issue written directives to all federal and provincial ministers, offices of federal and provincial governments and party leaders to abide by the code of conduct.

The CEC has pointed out in his letter that any serious violation of code of conduct by a candidate or supporters of the candidate could result in disqualification of the candidate. The letter while quoting the code of conduct, further explained that announcement of development schemes in the public meetings during election campaign or hateful speeches or any offer of cash payment was serious violation of code of conduct and its consequences could be disqualification of the candidate.

It may be worth mentioning here that the letter has been written after a video went viral showing Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur giving away cash to a person in election campaign in Mirpur.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib clarified on the letter of Chief Election Commissioner Azad Kashmir Justice (retd) Abdul Rashid Sulehria and said that Ali Amin Gandapur had given away money from his own pocket to settle an issue in Azad Kashmir.

AJK CEC had written the letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan in this connection. The minister clarified it during a news conference here. The minister regretted that politics of accusation was being carried out in Kashmir.

He said that Imran Khan exposed the ugly face of Modi to the world, Kashmiris know that his real voice is Imran Khan and noted those standing and talking in Kashmir today should know whose home Modi had come to.

He said, "If we stand up and talk in Kashmir, we should know whose house Modi came to, gifts of mangoes and sarees were given, Nawaz Sharif went to Modi's oath ceremony and kept meeting artists and Jundal family instead of Hurriyat leaders."

“Don't teach us a lesson on the Kashmir cause. Imran Khan highlighted the Kashmir issue at every level, all this is known to the Kashmiri people, whereas PMLN and PPP are mocking each other in the election campaign of Azad Kashmir. The PML-N government has exploited the Kashmiri people for five years and the Kashmiri people will definitely respond to it in the elections,” he said.

Replying to a question, the minister said that Ali Amin Gandapur paid for the construction of a bridge out of his own pocket while passing through Kashmir. He said that Maryam remains the niece of Modi, and she never asked her uncle why atrocities are being inflicted on Kashmiris.

He said that PPP and PML-N were not able to attract candidates in Azad Kashmir like they could not even get 10% of seats in Gilgit-Baltistan.