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PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has demanded re-polling in Mirpur, reiterating allegations of rigging in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. Speaking at a PPP workers' convention in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday, he called on the Election Commission to hold re-polling in Mirpur if it is "not involved in this rigging." His remarks came as the PML-N won nine out of 13 seats up for grabs in the first phase, according to provisional results reported by Dawn.

Bilawal also took aim at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, suggesting their positions were not earned through votes but through "Form-47," the provisional consolidated statement of results prepared by returning officers. The term has been used mainly by the opposition PTI since the 2024 general elections to allege rigging.

Coverage Comparison

Dawn's reporting on the issue spans multiple articles, each focusing on different aspects of the PPP's allegations. One article highlights Bilawal's speech and his demand for re-polling, while another emphasizes the role of PPP Central Punjab General Secretary Hassan Murtaza, who claimed that the rigging had "exposed the commission's role and the robbery of the PPP's mandate in broad daylight." A third piece adds that Raja Pervaiz Ashraf presented evidence of alleged rigging.

The coverage consistently frames the PML-N's victory as being attributed to rigging by the PPP, with a tone critical of both the PML-N and the AJK Election Commission. Direct quotes from PPP leaders are used to substantiate the claims.

Key Claims

  • Bilawal's allegations and demand: Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari alleged rigging in the first phase of the AJK elections and demanded re-polling in Mirpur. He was quoted as saying that PML-N has never won an election through popular vote but "always due to rigging."
  • PML-N's seat tally: The PML-N won nine out of 13 seats in the first phase in Mirpur, according to provisional results.
  • Hassan Murtaza's accusations: The PPP's Central Punjab General Secretary claimed that the rigging had "exposed the commission's role and the robbery of the PPP's mandate." He alleged that holding the elections in phases was done to "enable rigging," and that the AJK Election Commission played the role of a "commissioned agent."
  • Specific incidents cited: Murtaza detailed alleged incidents, including that in Charhoi, 30 polling stations were "held hostage," and polling agents were not allowed to sit together after polling time ended. He also claimed that similar tactics were used in other constituencies, and that a PPP worker, Mukhtar Younis, was "martyred" on polling day.
  • Form-47 reference: Bilawal used "Form-47" to suggest that the prime minister's and chief minister's positions were not the result of people's votes but of the provisional results document, a term previously used by the PTI to allege rigging.

Perspectives

PPP: The PPP maintains that the first phase of the AJK elections was marred by widespread rigging orchestrated by the PML-N and facilitated by the AJK Election Commission. The party has called for re-polling in Mirpur and has presented evidence of alleged irregularities.

PML-N: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz refuted the allegations, saying in a televised address that "it is not the state that decides election results, but the people," and urged the PPP to accept defeat. She also mocked the PPP on social media, calling it "the master of the fine art of rigging."