AJK elections: Opposition lashes out at PTI-led govt over 'rigging', 'hooliganism'

PPP and PML-N lashed on Sunday lashed out at the the PTI-led government for "rigging" during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections.

Senator Sherry Rehman, PPP's vice-president, blamed the Centre for "systematic rigging" and said it was attempting to "steal" the elections.

The PPP leader alleged PTI workers had fired on a PPP worker's car during polling time, while police had uprooted a camp belonging to her party.

"There is a clear difference between the voter lists of several polling stations [...] PPP has submitted a written complaint to the AJK Election Commission," she said.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, in a statement, claimed PTI "goons" had attacked her party's workers in Gujranwala's Alipur Chatha area to "rig" the election.

Aurangzeb said despite PTI workers beating up her party workers, the police "arrested those associated with PML-N". "PTI has been allowed to engage in hooliganism with complete liberty," she said.

The spokesperson alleged AJK Election Commission officials refused to accept PML-N's written complaints, saying they would accept them after permission from the chief election commissioner.

"Complaints of violence and rigging do not meet the criteria for a transparent election," she added.

Aurangzeb had earlier drawn attention to what she had termed as "irregularities" being reported from various constituencies.

"Complaints of polling agents being prevented from entering polling stations and closure of polling are increasing," she said in a statement.

She claimed that polling has been stalled for two hours at Girls Primary School Kangarhariwala, Union Council Komi Kot.

"Women voters are being treated insultingly," she added and claimed that there are reports of votes being stamped inside the polling station with the help of staff.

No polling agent was allowed to enter LA-32 Chakar, LA-33 Goharabad except that of PTI, she further claimed.

"The tactics of 2018 and Daska elections are being repeated openly," Marriyum said, adding: "If any untoward situation arises then Imran sahib will be responsible," she said.

At least two people were killed due to clashes between political parties in Kotli, while two others who were injured are being treated at a hospital, police said before the polling ended at 5pm.