Muzaffarabad, Jammu and Kashmir:
Rights group Press for Peace (PFP) has called upon
international democratic institutes and human rights organizations to monitor
the upcoming election of local assembly in Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK)
in order to ensure transparency and impartiality of electoral process.
Over 215 contestants of 13 political parties are taking part
in election from 41 constituencies of AJK Legislative Assembly of, which has
also 12 reserved seats for refugees of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) now settled in
different cities of Pakistan.
PFP expressed profound concern over the discriminatory laws which
bar people and political parties from delectation who don’t express loyalty to
the concept of Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan.
“It is against the freedom of expression and thought and
contradicts the basic norms and spirit of democracy,” said Jalaluddin Mughal, spokesperson
of Press For Peace (PFP) in a press release issue here on Thursday.
The statement said that without any inequity all groups and
political parties should be allowed to exercise their right of vote and to take
part in elections.
It is pertinent to mention here that nationalist parties of
PAK are not allowed to take a part in coming election as they don’t follow some
controversial clauses of local interim Constitution.
The statement also urged the government to establish new
polling stations in the rural and urban areas of Kashmir and Pakistan where
voter could not cast their vote adequately due to the lack of polling stations.
The establishment of separate polling stations and
booths and appointment of female polling staff for female voters were also
demanded.