Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday congratulated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif and the party’s successful candidates after it emerged as the leading party in the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the successful candidates of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz,” the prime minister said in a statement.
He said the party’s performance reflected the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and the efforts of the entire PML-N team. “Under the leadership of the PML-N Quaid, the party conducted a highly successful election campaign in Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
Shehbaz said the victory demonstrated the confidence of the people of AJK in the party’s policies. “The development and prosperity of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, along with the welfare and well-being of its people, remain among the foremost priorities of the PML-N,” he said.
He added that the participation of political parties in the second phase of the elections would further strengthen the democratic process.
Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said PML-N had secured a simple majority in the 45-member AJK Legislative Assembly after winning 13 of the 20 seats contested so far.
Addressing a news conference alongside Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam in Islamabad, Sanaullah said polling had been completed on 20 seats, including 13 in the first phase and seven of the nine seats in Muzaffarabad in the second phase.
“Alhamdulillah, PML-N candidates won 13 of these 20 seats. In Muzaffarabad, PML-N candidates were successful on four of the seven seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won three,” he said.
Sanaullah said PML-N had also won 10 of the 12 refugee seats. “PPP neither campaigned nor contested the refugee seats. On some of those seats, the contest was between PML-N and Muslim Conference candidates,” he said.
He said the results had given PML-N 23 seats, enough to form a simple majority government in AJK. Polling on 10 remaining seats would be held in the third phase after one constituency fell vacant following the death of a candidate.
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Congratulating the successful candidates, Sanaullah said the incoming PML-N government would fulfil the promises made by Nawaz Sharif to the people of AJK and usher in a new era of development.
He also criticised the PPP for alleging electoral rigging after losing seats in Mirpur. “Since yesterday morning, they have been building a narrative that they were defeated through rigging. When asked for evidence, they pointed to a polling station where their own candidate secured 96% of the vote,” he said.
Referring to LA-31, Sanaullah alleged that the PPP district president had anticipated defeat and attempted to disrupt polling. “First, they demanded the deployment of Sindh Police. When that was not accepted, they spent the entire day trying to create unrest to suppress voter turnout,” he said.
He further alleged that PPP workers, along with members of an action committee, created disturbances in a city constituency by setting tyres on fire and opening fire when police arrived. “In the crossfire, one person was killed, creating fear and panic that reduced voter turnout. We estimate this cost PML-N between 3,000 and 4,000 votes in the constituency,” he said.
Sanaullah also questioned PPP’s claims that one of its MNAs had been injured. “First they claimed his arm had been blown off, then they said it was his thumb, and later that a bullet had only grazed him. No medical evidence was produced,” he said.
Appealing to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sanaullah said attempts to discredit the electoral process through “baseless propaganda” were harmful to democracy and inconsistent with the Charter of Democracy signed by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
He maintained that the elections were free, fair and credible, expressing confidence that PML-N would secure three or four of the remaining seats. “We thank all PML-N coordinators, workers and voters who campaigned tirelessly, going from street to street and village to village,” he said.
Separately, Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam described the party’s performance as a victory not only for PML-N but also for democracy and the state. “This success is not just our party’s success. Most importantly, the writ of the government has been established and democracy has prevailed,” he said.
Muqam said predictions of a low turnout had proved wrong, with voter participation reaching between 50% and 60% in some constituencies. He praised the Election Commission, the civil administration, police and security agencies for ensuring peaceful polling.
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“The Election Commission worked day and night. The administration, police and other institutions fulfilled their responsibilities, while the security agencies also played an excellent role. It was this teamwork that made the elections possible,” he said.
Muqam said PML-N’s campaign was the result of two years of organisational work and the collective efforts of the party leadership, including Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He added that the party focused on presenting its manifesto and record in government rather than relying solely on political speeches. “The people of Kashmir looked at our past, our present and our vision for the future before making their decision. We will fulfil every promise we made to them,” he said.
Criticising the PPP’s allegations of rigging, Muqam said candidates who anticipated defeat had resorted to making unsubstantiated claims.
“What they did was not good for democracy, not good for themselves and not good for their own party,” he said, expressing confidence that PML-N would further improve its position in the remaining phase of the elections.Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express TribuneAPPRead More