ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leader Sardar Abdul Razzaque Khan has urged the major political parties to issue tickets only to those candidates, who are free from all types of corruption allegations.
“The political parties must allot tickets in the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) general elections only to those people whose past is free from the charges of any type of corruption,” Sardar Abdul Razzaque Khan said while talking to NNI Sunday.
Sardar Razzaque also demanded electoral reforms, especially the preparation of computerised voter lists bearing snaps of voters to hold the upcoming general elections in a free, fair and transparent manner in Azad Kashmir.
The PTI leader has suggested the refreshing of registered voters lists, re-demarcation of the electoral constituencies in view of the raise in population and establishment of new districts and tehsil headquarters in AJK.
He said there were massive irregularities in the voters lists and the AJK government wanted to conduct election on the same. He said the PTI wanted a free and fair election in the AJK as it was vital to strengthen democratic institutions.
“Since there was no provision in the AJK Constitution for a caretaker set-up, so it was the responsibility of the sitting government to hold election in a transparent manner,” he said.
He said that both PML-N and the ruling PPP are supporting manual lists because “computerised rolls don’t fit in with their plans. He alleged that both parties want to rig the elections but PTI will not let them take away voter rights.
The prominent social and political leader of Azad Kashmir has also alleged that massive corruption had been committed by the present AJK government and Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed himself was involved in committing malpractices in many projects of public welfare.
The PTI leader said that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was using government funds to influence the elections in Azad Kashmir. However, he said that the people of Azad Kashmir will reject the corrupt people who for the last 50 years have looted the national exchequer through unfair means.
“Elimination of corruption from the society is the main slogan of PTI chief Imran Khan,” Sardar Razzaque said.
“Our party has started the struggle for providing and safeguarding the rights of the people by curbing the menace of corruption and ousting the corrupt rulers from powers with the actual power of the masses,” the PTI leader remarked.
He urged the people of Kashmir to come out for uprooting the corruption which has corrupted the entire system. The PTI is also striving to promote merit in every sphere of life besides, encouraging the talented youth in the country. He said that the PTI would ensure the rule of law, justice and merit.
Sardar Razzaque has assured the youths of his constituency to ensure the rule of merit in Azad Kashmir to encourage the youths. He said that his party was making the country a greater through awakening the masses against the corruption of the corrupt leaders.
He said that prevailing corrupt system of the State of Jammu and Kashmir was not allowing the merit system to grow up, saying that the corrupt politicians and other corrupt people have very deep roots and influence.
He said that the PTI now has become the biggest political party of Azad Kashmir, which has been enjoying the complete support of the masses.
He urged the Election Commission of Azad Kashmir to ensure free, fair and impartial elections. “An independent and autonomous election commission should conduct the election in Azad Kashmir,” he said.
He, however, vowed that PTI workers would foil all rigging attempts.
About resolution of outstanding issue of Kashmir dispute, the PTI leader said that peace could not be guaranteed in the region until resolution of the Kashmir dispute as per aspirations of Kashmiri people.
Sardar Razzaque is a prominent social and political leader of Azad Kashmir. He belongs to Kotli district and a strong candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf from Sensa constituency of Azad Kashmir. By professional a lawyer, he is also a Canada-based prominent urdu Columnist entitled “Maktoob Calgary.”