Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar hinted at a possible boycott of the Azad Kashmir election, as there was no level playing field in the electoral process.
He added that if crackdowns against workers were continued and equal opportunities were not ensured in the election, then the party may reconsider its decision to boycott the Azad Kashmir elections.
Talking to reporters at the Parliament House, Barrister Gohar said that boycotting elections is not an easy decision for any political party; however, PTI stands by its decision to boycott till then. He said that the party took this decision after thorough deliberation, for which the allied parties, the political committee, and the legal committee were consulted, while the Azad Kashmir leadership also agrees with this decision.
He said that if a free environment is provided and political activities are not hindered, PTI may consider participating in the Azad Kashmir elections.
Barrister Gohar said that the current situation in Azad Kashmir is not conducive to free and fair elections. He claimed that elections have been seen in similar conditions in Punjab, Haripur, and Gilgit-Baltistan, while the failure of the federal and Azad Kashmir governments to provide a transparent electoral environment in the Azad Kashmir election will be a major blunder.
He further said that the party was forced to boycott the elections as per the aspirations of the people; however, it is demanded that the Election Commission provide equal opportunities to all political parties to participate in the elections without discrimination.
The Chairman of PTI said that the party received 138 applications for 33 seats in Azad Kashmir, and tickets were issued based on merit.
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