The Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections have changed the colour and shades of the political spectrum of the country. Which had a long history as it parted ways between the ruling coalition partners PPP and the MQM? Really, was it the only reason? Political parties have challenged the elections in the court of law as they alleged massive poll rigging, manipulation and influence used by the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, which has a simple majority in the newly-elected AJK legislative assembly and surprisingly, even PPP alleged the poll rigging.
Are their allegations true or is it the repetition of what is happening in the region since decades? As no political party accepted the defeat open-heartedly since the independence as in a country where the colonials decide the norms and behaviours of the society the democracy will be always vulnerable unless and until it is established with its true essence. In AJK the governments can be toppled with ease and the governments replacing them can be toppled too, that is what happened in the past as well.
The ‘establishment’ wins and is always the kingmaker. For how long the simple majority in the elections be denoted by ‘Rigging’? This time around the Kashmiri’s can have double votes, one for Pakistan and one for AJK. In AJK, the voting carried out smoothly with no complaints of vote-fixing.
In Punjab, the PPP and the PML-N had a fearful quarrel at numerous places with the use of arms on each other. While in Karachi, the elections were postponed due to law and order situation. This is probably one of the reasons which parted the ways between the two parties and might get worse in the shape of grand opposition alliance which may create hue and cry for the midterm elections as both the PML-N and MQM are coming close to each other.
The AJK constitution contains an article which shifts the power from the legislative assembly to the Kashmir affairs ministry with a Kashmir council who is under the control of the prime minister of Pakistan. Who in real terms actually rules AJK, as appointing of the election commissioner as well as the other important officials is the part of his portfolio. Because of its strategic importance, Kashmiri’s were never allowed to carry out elections themselves and it is always in the grip of the agencies.
The ruling Muslim Conference government in AJK did not use its influence to win because it already knew who was supposed to win. It is a no hidden fact, that undoubtedly, India rules the other part of Kashmir from New Delhi, calling the chief executive there the chief minister. While Pakistan just sensationalized the term by calling the AJK chief executive The Prime Minister while ruling it from Islamabad. The Muslim Conference was the darling of the establishment in the past during the era of General Zia-Ul-Haq, Sardar Qayyum and Nawaz Sharif was on the same grounding in terms of power. The Muslim Conference thought that it could go along with former president Pervez Musharraf as it switched of jihad. But unfortunately for them the establishment of Pakistan has shifted from Musharraf’s policy and probably one of the reasons to throw him out of power.
A ‘Prudent’ President Asif Ali Zardari has taken the PPP into the arena where PPP has become the pro-establishment party. On the other hand, PML-N is challenging the establishment, not because of any different agenda or in its way of thinking, but because of the PPP.
It can give up its severe criticism of the army if the latter throws out the PPP. The military is not charmed by the PPP particularly. Furthermore, within the army, the officers’ corps in comparison with the PPP, it is more fearful of the PML-N because of its reach and influence in the country’s most populous province. And influence is what matters within the officers’ corps.
Coherence and Grammar.Work on it!
Good Job Naqvi, good to see someone from our class writing something good. Best of luck.
nice..keep up the good work!
Very Well Written Mr. Hassan. Lahori you suck man…
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