PPP, PML-N Face Off Over AJK Election Legitimacy
News Desk
Islamabad: The credibility of the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections came under debate on Sunday after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) raised objections over alleged irregularities, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) defended the electoral process and rejected the accusations.
The PPP urged the AJK Election Commission to take immediate notice of its complaints, saying timely action was necessary to ensure public confidence in the election process.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said unresolved complaints from the first phase had increased concerns over the second phase. He claimed the party had submitted multiple complaints regarding alleged ballot irregularities and the removal of polling agents from polling stations.
The party said it had filed 25 complaints related to 11 constituencies and was awaiting a formal response from the Election Commission.
PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, pointed to alleged delays in the arrival of polling staff and election material in some constituencies, including LA-27 and LA-28. He questioned how polling agents could reach polling stations while official staff and materials faced delays.
Chan also alleged that PPP polling agents were removed from certain polling stations and claimed there were attempts to influence the electoral process. He said the party would continue to seek legal and constitutional remedies but could consider stronger measures, including reviewing participation in the third phase, if its concerns were not addressed.
PPP Parliamentarians Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari also questioned the fairness of the process, saying the party had evidence related to alleged irregularities and had called on election authorities and other institutions to investigate the matter.
The PML-N, however, rejected the allegations, with its AJK election cell submitting a response to the Election Commission. The party termed the PPP’s complaints baseless and politically motivated, maintaining that the elections were being conducted according to legal procedures.
The dispute has placed further attention on the role of the AJK Election Commission, which is now facing calls from opposition parties for a review of the complaints and assurances regarding transparency.
The Election Commission had not issued an official statement on the latest allegations at the time of publication.
