Popular government in Pakistan a positive message for Kashmir: Asma

Stressing that electoral process was an opportunity for the people to establish the rule of law, chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Asma Jahangir, has said that the right to vote is a fundamental right and people should opt for it, provided that elections are not rigged. “Election is an opportunity for the people and you ensure the people to vote and elect the government unless you feel that it would be completely rigged elections and then also you have the right to challenge the rigging. We took that chance in Pakistan,” she said. In an exclusive interaction with ‘Greater Kashmir’, she said that the political parties and civil society in Pakistan took a chance and challenged the military establishment for establishing democracy in the country. “In Pakistan, the political parties which went into the elections were vindicated because we knew that there would be pre-poll rigging and yet many political parties and even the people from civil society thought we had no other option but to challenge that rigging and go into the elections,” she said. She said that the turnout of voting and outcome of the elections was indicative that people want democratic setup and peace. “The way people came out among all that violence and threats, and knowing that there are the chances of rigging, was amazing because it is only when you show a political will that we are not going to allow you to do it then you overcome it,” she said. About the present scenario of Kashmir she said that she had been in Kashmir two years back and the situation is continuously improving.