AJK polls ignite coalition rift as PML-N, PPP trade rigging charges

ISLAMABAD: The first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections triggered a sharp political confrontation on Tuesday, with coalition partners Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) accusing each other of electoral malpractice following the release of preliminary results.

According to the Election Commission, the PML-N secured nine of the 13 seats contested in Mirpur Division during the opening phase of the three-stage elections, held amid heightened security arrangements.

The polling process was overshadowed by violence, clashes and allegations of rigging, prompting an exchange of accusations between the two coalition allies.

Addressing a televised press conference, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz hailed the PML-N's performance as an "outstanding victory" and urged the PPP to accept the public mandate instead of questioning the election results.

"The state does not decide election results; the people do," she said, rejecting allegations made by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Recalling the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, Maryam noted that the PML-N had accepted the PPP's victory and facilitated the formation of its government, questioning why the PPP was now alleging rigging after suffering electoral defeat.

She accused the PPP of failing to present a convincing governance record, political narrative or development agenda for the people of AJK, saying voters had chosen the PML-N on the basis of its performance in Punjab.

Maryam also criticised the PPP's governance in Sindh, arguing that despite ruling the province for nearly two decades, it had failed to deliver visible development. She alleged that the PPP had also failed to improve governance during its tenure in AJK and was now attempting to shift blame by raising allegations of electoral fraud.

The Punjab chief minister urged voters in Poonch and Muzaffarabad divisions, where polling is yet to be held, to support the PML-N, expressing confidence that the party's development agenda would continue to resonate across AJK.

Backing Maryam's stance, Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal termed the PPP's allegations "undemocratic" and urged Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to respect the people's verdict.

Flanked by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Iqbal said no complaints of rigging had surfaced during polling, adding that objections emerged only after the results became apparent.

Drawing comparisons between governance in Punjab and Sindh, he argued that AJK voters had opted for development rather than what he described as the PPP's poor administrative record.

Responding to the PML-N leadership, Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon accused the ruling party of "stealing the mandate" of the Kashmiri people through what he described as a rigged electoral process.

He alleged that the elections were marred by violence, claiming a PPP worker was killed during polling, and criticised the PML-N leadership for failing to condemn the incident.

Sharjeel further accused the PML-N of attempting to secure victory through manipulation rather than public support, alleging that the party had obtained a "fake mandate" in both Punjab and AJK.

He defended the PPP's electoral performance, saying the party's support base had continued to grow with every election, and accused the PML-N of neglecting Kashmir until the election campaign began.

The exchange of accusations has exposed growing political tensions between the two coalition partners, even as the remaining phases of the AJK elections are yet to be held. With polling scheduled to continue in Poonch and Muzaffarabad divisions, the rhetoric between the PML-N and PPP is expected to intensify in the coming days.