Violence, rigging allegations overshadow first phase of PoJK polls

PPP worker reportedly killed in Kotli

MUZAFFARABAD: The first phase of the PoJK elections was overshadowed by violence, allegations of electoral malpractice and political clashes, with a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) worker losing his life in Kotli district as voting was underway, Dawn reported.

According to Dawn, polling commenced at 8 am across 13 constituencies in Mirpur division and was initially scheduled to conclude at 5 pm. However, Mirpur Commissioner Raja Tahir Mumtaz Khan later announced that polling hours had been extended until 6 pm in Bhimber, Mirpur and Kotli districts.

As reported by Dawn, the most serious incident occurred in Kotli's Nakyal tehsil in the LA-9 Kotli-II constituency, where the PPP claimed that its political worker, Mukhtar Younus, died during violent incidents allegedly involving supporters of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Sardar Umair Naeem.

The PPP demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and called for stronger security measures to protect voters.

According to the report, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed grief over the incident, alleging that Younus was killed in firing linked to the PML-N candidate.

Dawn reported that Bilawal criticised the authorities and the Election Commission, claiming that earlier warnings, including a video allegedly showing armed displays by the candidate's supporters, had been ignored. (ANI)

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