New Delhi: What is the first thing you do after winning an election in a politically disputed territory? Apparently, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party thinks the answer to that question is to give an election ticket to an alleged ex-Taliban associate for a reserved seat.
Having won 26 seats in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) assembly election, PTI on Saturday gave the election ticket for one of the province’s reserved seats, for Ulema-e-Mashaikh, to Mazhar Saeed Shah.
Based in PoK’s Rawalakot, Haris Qadeer reports that Mazhar Saeed Shah is from the disputed territory’s northernmost district, “held important positions” in Jaish-e-Mohammad and also served as Governor of a province in Afghanistan during the Taliban’s rule.
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Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s history
Since its formation in 2007, the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has had an extensive history of involvement, and alleged involvement, in terrorist attacks on the Pakistani military as well as on civilians. The most famous instance was the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December that year, in which it initially denied its involvement before a Taliban leader claimed responsibility in a 2017 book.
The news reached Twitter on Saturday, as users and journalists shared the developments and criticized PTI for the appointment.
PTI has issued a ticket of Ulema-e-Mashaikh seat in the AJK Assembly to Taliban commander who held a key position in Afghanistan during Taliban era. Mazhar Shah started his journey from Harkat-ul-Mujahideen later served important positions in the Jaish-e-Muhammad of Masood Azhar. pic.twitter.com/rhvnjk3zb2
— صہیب اعوان Sohaib Awan (@SohaibAwanPK) July 31, 2021
Breaking: Pakistan has appointed a former head of Taliban (Mazhar Shah) for a reserved seat Ulema-e-mashaikh in the legislative assembly of Pak Administered Kashmir. #PakistanBackedTaliban #SaveAfghanistan pic.twitter.com/OKYXZJuSyR
— ThePakhtoonChronicle (@PastunChronicle) July 31, 2021
Asghar Zaidi, the editor of Lahore-based investigative news website Sujag, also weighed in, drawing a connection between PTI’s appointment of Shah and the Financial Action Task Force’s job of investigating terrorism funding.
PTI has issued a ticket 2 a former taliban commander against the seat of Ulema/Mashaikh in the Kashmir assembly. Mazhar Saeed Shah, was member of banned Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, later he joined Jaish-e-Muhammad of Maulana Masood Azhar. Yet we say #FATF is a #conspiracy
— Asghar Zaidi (@AsgharZaidi_PK) July 30, 2021
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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s response
However, the most high profile responses came from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman and political dynast/heir Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
In a press conference on Saturday, Zardari condemned the appointment of the alleged ex-TTP associate and said that Imran Khan needs to consider the subsequent message being sent overseas, Amir Wasim reported for Dawn.
“The people of ‘Azad Kashmir’ are peace-loving people and they believe in peaceful resistance. And you are presenting them before the world as terrorists,” Zardari added.
However, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s comments reflect that PTI’s association with Shah has provided more than enough political ammunition to the PPP, let alone India or the FATF.
Zardari has been contesting the PoK assembly election for several days and has repeatedly stated to the press and social media that the election was “rigged”.
“آزاد کشمیر کی تاریخ میں انتخابات میں اتنی دھاندلی نہیں ہوئی جو اس بار کی گئی، اور ہم ہر پلیٹ فارم پر اس نااہل کی دھاندلی کو بے نقاب کریں گے۔”
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری@BBhuttoZardari
1/4 pic.twitter.com/F55Sb2zfhv— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) July 31, 2021
“جس طریقے سے کشمیر کے الیکشن میں کھلے عام دھاندلی ہوئی وہ سب نے دیکھا۔
کشمیر کے انتخابات میں وفاقی وزیر کے پیسہ بانٹنے اور پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے امیدوار پر قاتلانہ حملے کے باوجود ہم حزب اختلاف کی سب سے بڑی جماعت بن کر سامنے آئے۔”
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی @BBhuttoZardari
1/3 pic.twitter.com/ksuwupSW0o
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) July 29, 2021
While any evidence behind Zardari’s claims remains to be confirmed, the polling for Ulema-e-Mashaikh as well as the seven other reserved seats, of which five are reserved for women, is scheduled to take place on 2 August.
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