Web Desk: Pakistan’s Ministry of Information on Saturday criticised Al Jazeera’s coverage of polling in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), accusing the international broadcaster of presenting a selective account of voting in Muzaffarabad and attempting to distort the electoral process.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, the ministry said it had taken notice of the broadcaster’s reporting from selected polling stations during the second phase of AJK local elections.
The ministry said the broadcaster relied on what it described as carefully chosen locations, timings and interviews that, in its view, created a misleading impression of the electoral process.
According to the statement, the coverage failed to reflect the broader conduct of polling and instead presented a narrative that the government said did not accurately represent developments on the ground.
The ministry alleged that the reporting amounted to an attempt to mischaracterize the elections and public participation in Muzaffarabad.
The government further argued that the broadcaster’s reporting aligned with what it described as efforts by external actors seeking to undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
It said such coverage aimed to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections despite what authorities described as public participation in the democratic process.
The ministry also asserted that voters had demonstrated their support for constitutional and democratic mechanisms through their participation in the polls.
Al Jazeera had not publicly responded to the ministry’s allegations at the time of publication.
The exchange comes as polling concluded in parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened political attention surrounding the electoral process.
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