Bilawal vows to fight alleged poll rigging in AJK
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), without naming the party directly, of relying on electoral manipulation to gain power and warned that his party would resist any attempt to rig the upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Addressing a PPP workers’ convention in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal said the large turnout at the gathering showed that his party was heading towards victory in the August 2 elections. He urged party workers to remain active and mobilise voters, expressing confidence that the “arrow” — the PPP’s electoral symbol — would emerge victorious.
Bilawal alleged that certain political groups had historically benefited from manipulated elections and now believed they could use the same tactics in AJK. He said the people of Kashmir would not allow such efforts to succeed and that PPP workers and voters would stand against any attempt to undermine the electoral process.
Referring to his party’s political rivals, Bilawal claimed that their rise to power had often followed controversial election processes. He said the PPP had repeatedly faced electoral challenges but continued to win public support despite what he described as unfair political practices.
The PPP chairman also raised allegations of rigging in the constituency of senior party leader Chaudhry Yasin. He claimed that polling agents and workers had reported irregularities at around 30 polling stations, alleging that the stations were occupied and votes were unlawfully cast.
Bilawal said he had evidence regarding the alleged irregularities and called on the Election Commission to order immediate re-polling at the affected polling stations if it had no involvement in the alleged misconduct.
He maintained that the PPP would accept defeat if voters rejected the party through a transparent and fair election. However, he said the party would not accept what he called a “stolen election” and would continue to challenge any result that emerged through alleged manipulation.
Bilawal also pledged to fight for the restoration of what he described as the “stolen seats” of Kashmir and promised to pursue the rights of the people through democratic and constitutional means.
He said the PPP wanted to secure ownership and political rights for the people of AJK through the power of the ballot rather than through armed struggle. He urged voters to support the party’s electoral campaign and vowed that the PPP would continue its efforts to raise the Kashmir issue at the international level.
Bilawal said the Bhutto family and the PPP had worked for three generations to highlight the Kashmir cause globally, adding that his party would continue to advocate for the rights and aspirations of the people of the region through political and diplomatic channels.
