Bilawal Bhutto Demands Re-Polling in AJK as PPP Escalates Rigging Allegations Against PML-N

MUZAFFARABAD: AJK Elections took a new political turn on Wednesday as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari renewed allegations of electoral rigging against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), demanded re-polling in Mirpur and urged the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Election Commission to investigate the complaints.

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Addressing a PPP workers’ convention in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal called on the Election Commission to hold fresh polling in Mirpur if it was not involved in what he described as election manipulation. His remarks came after the first phase of AJK Legislative Assembly elections, in which the PML-N secured nine of the 13 seats contested in Mirpur Division, while the PPP won four seats.

Bilawal Questions Election Results

Bilawal alleged that the election results did not reflect the public mandate and criticised the PML-N leadership.

Taking aim at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, he claimed they occupied office because of “Form-47” rather than public support. The term has been widely used by opposition parties since the 2024 general elections to allege electoral irregularities.

More than 100 words into his address, AJK Elections remained the focus as Bilawal insisted the PPP would not accept results that it believes were obtained through rigging and pledged to reclaim what he described as every “stolen vote.”

PPP Calls for Investigation

Bilawal claimed that around 30 polling stations in Mirpur had been taken over during polling and alleged that unusually high voter turnout at some polling stations raised serious questions about the credibility of the results.

He said the PPP possessed video evidence supporting its claims and urged the Election Commission to order re-polling in constituencies where the party had raised objections.

The PPP chairman also repeated his proposal for establishing a truth and reconciliation commission to address political tensions and ongoing unrest in AJK.

Election Commission Notifies Winners

Despite the allegations, the AJK Election Commission officially notified the successful candidates elected from the first phase of the polls.

According to the official notification, the PML-N won nine seats, while the PPP secured four seats in Mirpur Division following polling held on July 27.

The commission said the notifications were issued after receiving official results from returning officers following the completion of polling and vote counting.

PML-N Rejects Rigging Claims

The PML-N strongly rejected the allegations.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said election results were decided by voters rather than the state and urged the PPP to accept defeat.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari also criticised the PPP, defending the PML-N’s governance and questioning the PPP’s performance in Sindh.

Sharjeel Memon Defends PPP

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon rejected the PML-N’s criticism and accused the ruling party of benefiting from a “fake mandate.”

He alleged that irregularities had occurred during the AJK elections and demanded immediate action by the Election Commission, including re-polling in constituencies where the PPP had lodged complaints.

PPP Presents Alleged Evidence

Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also called for an independent investigation into the election process.

He presented what he described as video evidence of alleged irregularities and questioned unusually high voter turnout at several polling stations, urging the AJK Chief Election Commissioner and the judiciary to investigate the complaints.

The PML-N has denied the allegations, while the AJK Election Commission has officially notified the election results. The allegations made by PPP leaders have not been independently verified.