Jammu And Kashmir - 2

[Naresh]

<b>Rigging of Azad Jammu and Kashmir polls : ‘Pakistan has lost the world’s respect’</b> <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo-->

<b>LAHORE: People’s Muslim League President Sultan Mehmood said on Wednesday that the Pakistani government had lost respect in the international community by rigging the recently held elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Sultan Mehmood, who is also a former AJK prime minister, said the Indians were also blaming the Pakistanis for the rigging.</b> He alleged that office bearers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and the chef ministers of all Pakistan’s provinces had helped Muslim Conference candidates win the elections held on July 11.

He demanded the removal of the newly elected AJK prime minister and abolishing the post of Pakistan’s federal minister for Kashmir affairs. He also demanded the Pakistani government activate the Kashmir Council for Coordinating with Pakistan in place of the Kashmir Affairs Ministry and explain the mechanism of appointing senior judicial officials in AJK.

<b>He said the rigging had demoralised Kashmiris at such a sensitive time when the peace talks between India and Pakistan were slowing down and Indian soldiers had started firing at the Pakistani population settled on the Line of Control.

He said Kashmiris were of the view that the July 11 elections were rigged to get control over the billions of dollars sent by donors for the rehabilitation of the October 8, 2005, earthquake victims.</b>

Sultan Mehmood said his party would consult all AJK opposition parties to remove the ‘puppet’ prime minister and to help the opposition parties in Pakistan to move a non-confidence motion against Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->