ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a strange move yesterday sought intervention of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) for investigation into the alleged ‘per-poll rigging’ in the recently held general elections of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK).

AJK chapter of PTI issued a white paper about the alleged pre-planned rigging and irregularities in AJK elections and demanded re-election in the territory with the establishment of an interim set-up.

In the general elections of AJK held in July, PML-N secured a landslide victory by winning 31 seats of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and thus defeated its rival parties - PTI and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

“I have written to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on the issue of rigging along with this white paper to personally intervene and get probe the matter or otherwise the rigging issue would badly affect the on-going freedom movement in Indian Held Kashmir,” PTI’s AJK chapter president Barrister Sultan Mahmood said while addressing a press conference here at his residence in Islamabad.

“I have also suggested re-elections in AJK,” he said and alleged that every government at the centre used to form government of its party in AJK because it has the powers to appoint chief secretary and inspector general of police of its own choice there. He demanded that general elections in all provinces and AJK should be held at the same time to avoid rigging. “The elections in AJK should be announced in 2018—-the year of general elections in Pakistan,” he said and added: “An interim government comprising all political parties of the territory should be set up in AJK by that time.”

A PML-N candidate of AJK Legislative Assembly has confessed to getting Rs 20 million from the funds of Kashmir Council, former Prime Minister of AJK Barrister Mahmood said while issuing a white paper on the alleged rigging. The PTI president also showed a video to the reporters where the PML-N candidate was found saying that he received Rs 20 million from Kashmir Council Fund.

“In addition that cash money was distributed among the voters and PML-N announced development schemes to lure the voters,” he said claiming that he had a documentary evidence of all these charges.

The white paper also showed a notification issued days before the general elections showing that Kashmir Council set up its own cell instead of local government department of AJK to ensure implementation on development schemes.

Barrister Mahmood alleged that rigging in AJK started with the appointment of chief justice of AJK High Court as the chief election commissioner for four years.

He said that federal government announced 50 billion rupees package for development schemes ahead of polls.

Mahmood also presented evidences of use of money and announcement of developmental schemes by the PML-N to woo loyalties of voters.