At least two people were killed and eight others wounded on Saturday in a clash between the workers of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Nakyal area of Kotli district in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The clash reportedly occurred in the Nakial Bazaar area when a procession of PPP workers was on its way to the venue of their rally scheduled to be held in connection with the upcoming elections in AJK. The two parties’ activists first exchanged words and then started pelting stones at each other, resulting in the death of Munshi Khan, a PPP worker.
According to media reports, the PML-N workers opened fire killing two PPP activists and injuring another. The injured were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Kotli.
The police later used tear gas and resorted to baton-charge to disperse the two parties’ supporters.
Referring to “hate speeches” delivered by PML-N ministers during their recent visits to Azad Jammu and Kashmir, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in a statement, condemned the incident.
A case has been registered at Nakial police station and 10 people, including PML-N Nakial president Adeel Sarfaraz, have been arrested, said a local police official.
General elections in AJK are scheduled to be held in summer 2016.
CHIEF SECRETARY TAKES NOTICE:
AJK Chief Secretary (CS) Skindar Sultan Raja has taken serious note of the clash between workers of the rival political parties in Nakyal on Saturday and directed commissioner Mirpur Division to hold inquiry into the incident and report to his office within the next 24 hours and to take every possible step to maintain law and order situation and top protect the lives and property of the people.
He further said that a request had been made to the judiciary for investigation so that the culprits involved in the incident could be brought to justice. He said that no one could be allowed to take take law into their own hands.
