PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addresses a PPP workers rally in Muzaffarabad on July 29 – PPP
MUZAFFARABAD:
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said his criticism of alleged irregularities in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections would not jeopardize the party’s coalition with the PML-N at the Centre, but warned that the alleged fraud and what he described as theft of the public mandate could have ramifications for the ruling party.
Speaking to the media after meeting AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar and PPP workers at his residence here, the Bhutto scion said the PPP-PML-N coalition at the federal level remained intact.
“My statements cannot jeopardize our coalition with the federal government,” Bilawal said while warning that alleged manipulation of the AJK election process and denial of the public mandate could create difficulties for the alliance.
The PPP chairman said alleged vote theft and what he called an attack on the people’s mandate was “unacceptable”, asserting that he could not remain silent when party workers were attacked.
“If my worker is killed, how can I remain silent?” he asked, saying he had the right to raise his voice for the rights of the PPP workers and the people.
Bilawal said the political crisis in AJK could be resolved through democratic means and called for the people’s mandate to be respected. He alleged that voting had been disrupted in about 30 polling stations and claimed that the PPP got four seats instead of the eight it expected.
He said rigging had taken place in Kotli and alleged that votes were “stolen at gunpoint”. Demanding that AJK voters be allowed to exercise their democratic right freely, Bilawal said any attempt to undermine the electoral process was unacceptable.
He urged the people of AJK to participate fully in the remaining phases of the election and urged the voters to choose their representatives through the poll. He reiterated that the PPP believed in democracy, the sanctity of the vote and respect for the public mandate.
Bilawal’s remarks came amid heightened political tensions following the first phase of AJK legislative assembly elections in Mirpur Division, where the PML-N emerged as the leading party while the PPP alleged irregularities in the election process.
PPP AJK President Chaudhry Yasin, AJK Prime Minister Faisal Rathore, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Nabila Ayub were also present on the occasion.
Maryam scoffs
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday rejected the PPP allegations of election rigging in AJK.
In a post on X, Maryam mocked the PPP’s claims, saying the party, which she described as “a master of electoral rigging”, was now complaining of fraud. In an apparent jibe at the PPP chairman’s remarks, she asked: “What time is doomsday?”
In a separate statement, the Punjab Chief Minister said political parties should focus on their own performance rather than criticizing others.
“If you had performance, governance and a public agenda, you wouldn’t waste time attacking others,” she said.
Referring to the PPP’s long tenure in Sindh, Maryam said the party had little to show despite being in power in the province for 17 years.
She claimed that AJK voters had supported the PML-N because of its government initiatives, including public transport projects, housing schemes, agricultural support programmes, improved road infrastructure and better law and order.
She urged Bilawal to accept the election result in AJK and instead focus on solving the challenges facing Sindh.
(With input from our Lahore correspondent)
