Kashmiris welcome defeat of extremists in Pak polls

The Pakistan general election results on Thursday evoked a keen interest in Kashmir with majority of the people expressing happiness over the victory of Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan and defeat of radical parties like the one led by 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Sayeed.

"It is heartening to know that the people of Pakistan have rejected extremist forces in the elections. That is the strength of democracy. One always gets to choose," regional PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted as election results poured in.

A neitzen Mohammad Afaq Sayeed while commenting on the defeat of Islamic parties in the Pakistan election wrote on his Facebook timeline, "Despite forming an absolute alliance, cumulative of all Islamic parties is stagnant at just 6 seats. Pakistan has never voted religious parties in. That is the most significant difference between Pakistani democracy and Indian democracy".

Farooq Peer a former IAS officer while sharing a link of a news story from Pakistan newspaper Dawn wrote on Facebook: "Contrary to negative impression being created by Media the elections in Pakistan have been better than 2013".

However, spokesman of Jamat-e-Islami J&K, Zahid Lone stirred a controversy by saying "Pakistan has rejected Islam" by not voting Islamist parties to power.

"Pakistani people proved beyond doubt that they never like Islamic system of life though they call themselves MUSLIMS! Virtually they inadvertently rejected Islam," he wrote on his Facebook official account.

He was grilled over his views by neitizens with Prof Sheikh Showkat, who teaches law at the Central University of Kashmir and is considered close to separatist camp, reminding Zahid that his counterparts in Pakistan have been part of different coalitions, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwan province, where Imran's PTI is in power.

"Absurd comment; voting or no voting for a party does not mean rejection of Islam," Hussain said.

Gowher Geelani, a freelance journalist, while reacting to Zahid's comment wrote on Facebook, "Rejecting those who claim to represent Islam is one thing, rejecting Islam is another".