Court Freezes Muzaffarabad Press Club Elections Amid Allegations of Voter Roll Tampering and Financial Misconduct
On January 2, a senior civil judge issued an interim order suspending the Central Press Club’s annual elections following allegations of electoral roll manipulation and financial mismanagement.
The lawsuit, filed by Sohail Mughal, a presidential candidate, and 28 other members, alleged that the club’s executive body unlawfully excluded 29 longstanding members from the voters’ list. The petitioners included prominent journalists and former office bearers such as Syed Afaq Hussain Shah, Tariq Naqash, Roshan Deen, and Basharat Mughal, all of whom have previously held positions like president and secretary general.
The petitioners claimed that the press club’s management failed to comply with a recent High Court ruling designed to ensure a fair electoral process. Instead, they alleged, the management deliberately stripped veteran members—some with over three decades of affiliation—of their voting rights.
Repeated requests for access to the voters’ list were reportedly denied, forcing the affected members to obtain the document through unofficial channels. Upon review, the petitioners discovered the exclusion of the 29 members from the rolls.
The lawsuit also accused the club’s management of withdrawing more than Rs1.5 million from the institution’s bank account in an alleged attempt to sway voter preferences. The petitioners described the ongoing election process as a calculated effort to retain control over the club’s assets.
Taking cognizance of the allegations, the court temporarily stayed on the elections and prohibited any related activities until further orders. The court also restricted withdrawals from the press club’s bank account and summoned the election commissioner along with interim office bearers, including the acting president and secretary general, for a hearing scheduled for Saturday.
The Central Press Club has faced similar controversies in the past. Last year, elections were held in defiance of a stay order, resulting in their annulment by the High Court.
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