Planning Minister Asad Umar has claimed that the ruling party – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf – will form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as political parties from both sides of the aisle woo voters in their election campaign.
More than 3.2 million voters will elect a 53-member assembly for a five-year term on July 25. Out of 53 seats, 45 are general, while eight are reserved for women, technocrats and religious scholars. Opposition parties, PPP and PML-N are also busy in electioneering. Both the parties in their speeches have accused the government of not highlighting the Kashmir issue “properly” and urged voters to back their candidates in polls.
“There will be PTI government in AJK and we will work together. After winning elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, we started historic development projects in the mountainous region,” he said while addressing a rally in the LA-44 constituency of Bari Imam along with PTI candidate Bashir Ahmed Khan.
He said that PTI candidate Bashir Ahmed and Nazia Baig would be victorious in the poll.
“[Prime Minister] Imran Khan never sits idly by and does not let anyone sit idle. Imran works together with people,” he said, “Imran Khan highlighted the Kashmir dispute on the international level.”
The premier has given special attention to AJK, he said, adding that the tiger force was ever ready on the call of PM Imran.
Taking a jibe at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he accused the PML-N supremo of not standing by his words and not supporting Kashmiris. “Nawaz has been inviting ‘Killer Modi’ in his family weddings,” Umar said.
Umar, who is also the head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), expressed his concerns over the coronavirus situation in AJK. He said that despite the request to postpone the AJK poll, the regional election commission did not delay the election.
“The rate of coronavirus cases in Muzaffarabad has increased to more than 20% in the election. An increase of Covid-19 cases in AJK is dangerous,” the NCOC head said.
He stressed the need for vaccination among the people, saying that refraining from inoculation would not let us resume normal life.
Earlier, the power went out before the planning minister's speech. Umar stood on the stage and waited for the power to come in the heat. When the electricity was not restored, the minister had to speak in the heat without a speaker.
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