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POK Azad Kashmir assembly election 2016 || By Javed Inayat || LIVE IMAGE |
Azad
Kashmir assembly election 2016 has been just concluded this week.
According to official results Nawaz league has secured 32 seats out 41 total
seats based on direct voting. The other seats are technocrats, women and
Scholars which would be allotted to each wining party as per their average
total will be 49 seats. It is really hard to believe that Nawaz league has
clean sweep in this election but opposition parties have been complaining of
pre poll rigging. It has been observed trend among AJK voters that they mostly
vote for that party which is in throne in Islamabad.
region has been under the tight grip of Pakistani state imposed undemocratic
institutions. This region has been ruled through an interim act 1974. Act
1974 has been designed in such a way that it takes almost all powers from local
elected government and gives more power to unelected institutions imposed by
Islamabad. Kashmir council is an upper house of AJK region and its has 15
members half of them selected by Pakistani government and its head is Pakistani
PM.
Power lies with AJK Council and Pakistani PM can dismiss AJK elected
PM any time without telling any reason and it has been done several times .
Ministry of Kashmir affairs and lent officers are also from Pakistan and rest
of the power lies with them. Minister of Kashmir affairs never elected by AJK
voters but he has been elected by Pakistani voters.
Lent officers and Kashmir
affairs ministers have neither been answerable to AJK government nor local
voters. Kashmir council has authority to even collect taxes and other
revenues from AJK citizen without consulting AJK government. Act 1974 has 56
clauses and 53 of them used by Kashmir council. AJK government has been elected
by local state citizen but it can stay at the helm of affairs as long as
masters in Islamabad are happy with it.
Government system has been made dysfunctional and disable through
imposing unelected institutions from out side. It is neither dictatorship nor
democracy but a temporary colonial administration which only takes care of
interests of Pakistani rulers and their lent officers. Financial corruption
among local bureaucracy and Pakistani lent officers has been rampant. AJK
dysfunctional government institutions have been badly failed to provide basic
life facilities to local state citizen.
Unemployment is 90% among local
educated youth and it has been forcing skilled and unskilled workers to migrate
to other countries. As a result of economic hardship, 47% AJK
population has been living abroad and rest goes to seek employment in Pakistani
cities where they take odd jobs. There has not been single state institution
locally provides jobs training and job opportunities to educated youth.
elected Noon league government is taking power in this volatile region. There
has been widespread disappointment and disillusionment among youth in the
region. AJK government cannot do anything for them due to no financial control
and lack planning. Education and health care system has been completely broken
and it needs immediate attention. AJK ruling elites have been playing
subservient role to please their bosses in Islamabad. Islamabad is the one
which makes and breaks AJK governments even though representatives have been
elected by their local voters.
the main issue in AJK region is empowerment of local state citizen including
honoring their voting mandate. It is being given great chance to AJK base
Nawaz league leadership to take bold steps towards empowering the region by
taking back constitutional powers from Kashmir Council. Abolishing all
unelected foreign imposed institutions would be first step towards right
direction.
Would it be possible for Noon league elected leadership to
take back their rights to decide for their citizens and voters?
Second step would be to take control of finance to get financial independence
locally. If AJK elected government would not take these steps what would be
reaction to state citizens? Only change can satisfy AJK citizens and
restore their basic citizenship rights. Time will only answer this
question.
According to official results Nawaz league has secured 32 seats out 41 total
seats based on direct voting. The other seats are technocrats, women and
Scholars which would be allotted to each wining party as per their average
total will be 49 seats.
It is really hard to believe that Nawaz league has
clean sweep in this election but opposition parties have been complaining of
pre poll rigging. It has been observed trend among AJK voters that they mostly
vote for that party which is in throne in Islamabad.
By – Javed Inayat
From – Pakistan OccupiedKashmir
