MUZAFFARABAD: At least one activist was killed and eight others wounded in a clash during a political rally in the Kotli area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Saturday.

The clash between Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers occurred in the Nakial bazaar area, when a PPP procession was heading towards the venue of their convention — which was scheduled to be held later in the day.

Activists from the ruling and the opposition parties pelted stones at each other, which resulted in the death of Munshi Khan, reportedly a PPP worker.

Meanwhile, the injured were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Kotli.

A case has been registered at Nakial police station and 10 people, including PML-N Nakial president Adeel Sarfaraz, have been arrested in this regard, said a local police official.

General elections in AJK are slated to be held in summer 2016.

Read: Justice Mughal made Azad Kashmir CEC

Condemnations

The former president Asif Ali Zardari condemned the killing of PPP worker in the strongest possible words and said "it has become a norm for PML-N to kill opposition which shows the dictatorial mindset of its leadership".

Zardari said that several PML-N ministers had been delivering hate speeches against PPP for some time now during their Kashmir visits. Storming of PPP convention seems to be the result of these hate speeches, he said.

The PPP co-chairman asked for a detailed report from the AJK government and instructed it to arrest and bring the culprits to book as soon as possible.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto also condemned the attack on PPP workers.

The PPP chairman took notice of the fact that some PML-N Federal Ministers were using foul and filthy language and were seen instigating violence against the PPP workers and supporters in AJK.

The PML-N has 11 and MC has five legislators in the currently 48-member assembly, and the office of leader of the opposition is held by PML-N president Raja Farooq Haider.

Opinion

Editorial

NAP revival
Updated 17 Mar, 2025

NAP revival

This bloody cycle of violence will continue unless action is complemented with social, economic, political efforts in Balochistan and KP.
New reality
17 Mar, 2025

New reality

THE US retreat from global climate finance commitments could not have come at a worse time. Pakistan faces an...
Killer traffic
17 Mar, 2025

Killer traffic

MYSTERIOUS and unstoppable. It is these words that perhaps best describe the recent surge in traffic-related...
After the review
Updated 16 Mar, 2025

After the review

Should prepare economy for durable growth by attracting foreign private investments to boost productivity and exports.
Embracing crypto
16 Mar, 2025

Embracing crypto

IT seems a little prod was all it took for Pakistan to finally ‘embrace the future’. The Pakistan Crypto Council...
Fault lines
16 Mar, 2025

Fault lines

IT was a distressing spectacle, though a sadly predictable one. As the National Assembly took up for discussion the...