MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday said the state must decide whether national interest or the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) interest was more important, while criticising the conduct of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections.Addressing a workers’ convention in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal thanked the people of Mirpur for their support and said they had given the PPP a majority through their votes. He said the party’s responsibility was now to protect those votes.In the first phase of the elections, the PML-N secured victory in nine constituencies of the AJK Legislative Assembly elections, according to unofficial and provisional results, while the PPP won four seats of the total 13 constituencies across Mirpur.Bilawal questioned whether the situation in Azad Kashmir could be described as democracy. He said PPP candidates had secured a majority in line with the public’s votes and expectations.Referring to PPP leader Chaudhry Yasin, Bilawal said he was contesting from two constituencies and questioned how he could lose the seat in his own village.He alleged that “the same things” had happened as in the previous elections, claiming that gunfire had occurred then and that the PPP had protected its mandate. “We will not allow anyone to snatch people’s rights this time,” he said.He questioned how attacks could have taken place at 30 polling stations despite security arrangements. “If it had happened in one or two constituencies, it could be understood, but how can attacks at 30 polling stations be justified?” he said.Bilawal alleged that the phased election process had been organised to facilitate rigging and that attacks on polling stations were carried out to “steal votes”.
The PPP chairman said the state appeared to be prioritising the PML-N’s interests over the national interest, adding that Kashmir, Pakistan and their people were suffering as a result. He said the PPP stood with the state of Pakistan in the national interest, “not in the interest of the PML-N”.
He urged authorities to “open their eyes” and asked what had happened to Pakistan in the name of protecting the PML-N’s interests.
Bilawal said Azad Kashmir must never be allowed to resemble Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), adding that internet shutdowns created such an impression.