There were protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as angry locals protested over the issue of rigged polls.
Protesters on July 29 were seen burning Pakistan flags and blackening election posters, as reported by ANI.
Election posters blackened in Neelam Valley by people agitated over rigged PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) polls pic.twitter.com/RctobtFD04
Advertisement— ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2016
Major PoK towns like Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Chinari and Mirpur witnessed protests after members of the Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) allegedly killed a supporter of the Muslim Conference (MC) in Muzaffarabad.
Pak PM Nawaz Sharif theindianpanorama
The protesters also burnt tyres, blocked traffic and clashed with the police personnel.
Widespread protests broke out on July 27 after PML won the recently held elections, in a swooping majority, acquiring 32 of the 41 seats or more than 75 percent of the seats.
Angry over rigged PoK elections, locals burnt Pakistani flag in Neelum Valley (PoK) and faced police action. pic.twitter.com/JuRspTiNA7
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2016
Locals also held demonstrations outside PoK Assembly at Muzaffarabad and government buildings. Voters complained that they had not been allowed to exercise their vote.
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Political parties too questioned the legitimacy of the elections, and alleged that the election process had been compromised with.
According to locals, the elections in PoK have always been fixed in favour of the ruling party in Pakistan.
#WATCH Election posters in Neelam Valley (PoK) blackened by locals agitated over rigged PoK pollshttps://t.co/7XsQqiC7kH
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2016
The Human Rights Groups in PoK have confirmed allegations of money and muscle power being used to win elections.
“If people think elections will bring change then they are living in fool’s paradise,” a Muzaffarabad resident said.
Vikas Swarup, spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs also slammed the ‘sham elections’ held in PoK, claiming it to be ‘another farcical exercise by Pakistan to cover up its illegal occupation.’
Vikas Swarup, spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs indianexpress
Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State, Home Affairs, said that he wasn’t surprised with events in PoK.
Nothing surprising, all this has been happening in PoK and Balochistan: Kiren Rijiju,MoS,Home on rigged PoK polls pic.twitter.com/h9Hp21fEpo
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2016
