PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addresses a convention of PPP workers in Muzaffarabad on July 29 – PPP
MUZAFFARABAD:
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said his criticism over alleged irregularities in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections would not endanger the party’s coalition with the PML-N at the Centre, but warned that the alleged frauds and what he described as theft of public mandate could have implications for the ruling alliance.
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 endanger our coalition with the federal government,” Bilawal said, while warning that AJK’s alleged manipulation of the electoral process and denial of public mandate could create difficulties for the alliance.
The PPP chairman said allegations of vote theft and what he called an attack on the people’s mandate were “unacceptable”, arguing that he could not remain silent when party members were being targeted.
“If my worker is killed, how can I remain silent?” he asked, asserting that he had the right to raise his voice for the rights of PPP workers and the people.
Bilawal said the political crisis in AJK could be resolved through democratic means and called for respect for the mandate of the people. He claimed that the vote had been disrupted in around thirty polling stations and that the PPP had obtained four seats instead of the eight hoped for.
He said frauds took place in Kotli and votes were “stolen at gunpoint”. Bilawal demanded that AJK voters be allowed to freely exercise their democratic right, saying any attempt to undermine the electoral process was unacceptable.
Calling on the people of AJK to fully participate in the remaining phases of the elections, he urged the voters to elect their representatives through ballot. He reiterated that the PPP believed in democracy, the sanctity of voting and respect for public mandate.
Bilawal’s remarks come amid heightened political tensions following the first phase of the AJK Legislative Assembly elections in Mirpur division, where the PML-N emerged as the leading party while the PPP alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
PPP AJK Chairman Chaudhry Yasin, AJK Prime Minister Faisal Rathore, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Nabila Ayub were also present on the occasion.
Maryam laughs
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday rejected PPP’s allegations of election fraud in AJK.
In an article on X, Maryam mocked the PPP’s claims, saying the party, which she described as “a master of electoral manipulation”, was now complaining of rigging. In an apparent mockery of the PPP chairman’s remarks, she asked: “What time is the end of the world?”
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 supported the PML-N because of its governance initiatives, including public transport projects, housing schemes, agriculture support schemes, improved road infrastructure and better law and order.
She urged Bilawal to accept the election result in AJK and instead focus on resolving the challenges facing Sindh.
(With input from our Lahore correspondent)
