Jammu: The pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) is fielding candidates for 37 out of 41 constituencies in the elections to the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Legislative Assembly on July 11, 2006.

Sardar M. Saghir, secretary-general and chief of the Parliamentary Board of the JKLF told The Hindu that "Election rules for Azad Kashmir [PoK] Assembly provide that each candidate would have to state under oath that he/ she supports the accession of the entire Jammu Kashmir State to Pakistan. The JKLF and other pro-independence Kashmiri organisations term this provision of the election rules most undemocratic and contrary to basic human rights. The JKLF had decided that its candidates would take the oath for working for complete independence of the whole State instead." It would be interesting to see the reaction of the PoK Government to this development. It had rejected the nomination papers of JKLF candidates earlier. In the 2001 Assembly elections, the JKLF had pledged to work for the independence of the whole State, instead of supporting its accession to Pakistan. As a result, almost all nominations were rejected.

"The JKLF has all along been urging the Governments of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to change this draconian law since it keeps thousands of pro-independence Kashmiris from contesting or voting, and hence grossly violate their basic human and democratic rights. But both Governments have so far turned a deaf ear to this demand," said Mr. Saghir.

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