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OPINION SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | The Indian Eye 12

the real meaning of elections in the

so-called azad Jammu and kashmir

How “Azad” is the so-called Azad Kashmir? This is a pertinent question and lies at the core of

not only the so-called AJK’s electoral politics but also of the broader Kashmir question

PrIyanka SInGh ment, of peddling the “India
narrative”—one that is soft on
lections to the legisla- India and especially on Prime
tive assembly in the so- Minister Narendra Modi.
Ecalled Azad Jammu and The pitch of the polls was
Kashmir (AJK)—part of Paki- visceral and crude. The PTI
stan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)— accused the PML-N of guz-
were held on 25 July 2021 af- zling the money of common
ter the previous dispensation man narrating the rags to rich-
headed by the Pakistan Muslim es story of the Sharif family in
League-Nawaz (PML-N) com- poll rallies and how parties that
pleted its five-year term. At the have looted Pakistan are now
forefront of the electoral con- sending their heirs to further
test were the mainstream po- continue the loot—reference
litical parties of Pakistan—the to Bilawal Bhutto and Maryam
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sharif. Ali Amin Gandapur in
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) one of his speeches levelled the
and the PML-N. Other groups Cross-border terrorism in the state of Jammu & Kashmir has been a source Sharifs of pandering PM Modi
known to have participated of tension between India and Pakistan by hosting him for Maryam’s
included Tehreek-e-Labbaik daughter’s wedding at Lahore
Pakistan (TLP), the far-right in 2015. On the other side,
group banned in Pakistan; the Maryam Sharif tried to balance
All J&K Muslim Conference; out or neutralise the pro-India
Jamat-e-Islami and the Jammu charges by emphasising Nawaz
and Kashmir Democratic Par- Sharif’s achievement when he
ty. Along expected lines, the conducted more nuclear tests
Imran Khan-led PTI secured a than the enemy, India. Besides,
simple majority by winning 26 Maryam Nawaz cautioned the
of the total 45 seats in the so- people in the so-called AJK
called AJK Assembly. that Imran Khan’s government
This was the first election may convert the region into
after Government of India’s a province and that her party
move to end the special status would never allow that to hap-
of Jammu and Kashmir, bifur- pen.
cating it into two Union Ter- Besides, the campaign also
ritories. Thus, the campaign The people of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir generally tend to vote for the party became personal and led to a
was heavily divided along as to in power in Islamabad slugfest where Maryam Nawaz
how apt or inept Prime Minis- retorted to Imran Khan’s re-
ter Imran Khan’s response to bly speech for instance, is being PPP and the PML-N—against marks about her son playing
India’s decision was. While the showcased as his success not PTI of “stealing” the polls and polo, which he alleged was a
PML-N accused PM Khan of only on Kashmir but also with brazenly indulging in system- sport for the rich. Khan claimed
selling out Kashmir, the PPP regard to shielding his country atic rigging. Maryam Nawaz that the money to support
pegged its agenda around pleb- from the religion-centric on- warned of dire consequences Sharif’s plush lifestyle was in
iscite and the party’s long-held slaught—one that has perenni- against stealing of elections fact drained from the people of
commitment to the Kashmir ally charged Pakistan as being while post elections, Bilawal Pakistan. In response, Maryam
cause. In this backdrop, the the chief promoter of terrorism Bhutto asserted that PPP’s tally Nawaz hit out with anti-Semitic
elections in the so-called AJK and violence across the globe. would have been better had the remarks against Imran Khan’s
were touted as a litmus test for The elections in the so- polls been fair and transparent. sons with his estranged wife
PM Imran Khan, whose pan-Is- called AJK were held amidst The PTI accused the incum- Jemima Goldsmith about their
lamic approach, as envisaged in widespread allegations lev- bent PML-N, previously head- Jewish upbringing.
the 2019 UN General Assem- elled by the opposition—the ing the so-called AJK govern- Continued on next page... >>

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