Landslide PPP victory in AJK election reflect trust of people: Farzana

ISLAMABAD: Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Farzana Raja said on Friday that the landslide victory of Pakistan Peoples Party in AJK's election is a reflection of the trust of the people in the party of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She said that the defeated elements are finding it hard to digest the landslide victory of PPP and thus they are resorting in the baseless allegations of rigging.

She siad the elections were conducted in the supervision of an independent election commission and the administration in AJK was appointed by the government of Muslim Conference, but still PPP managed thumping victory which reflects popularity of the party. She said this while replying to various questions during a programme at a TV Channel here on Friday.

Farzana Raja said that the victory in AJK's elections is in fact the continuity of the victory of Pakistan Peoples Party in the elections of Gilgit-Baltistan as well as by-elections held at various constituencies of Pakistan.

She said that the present government will complete its mandated term of five years and will go to people of Pakistan on the basis of its performance. She said that the elements showing undemocratic behavior should wait for general elections and they must not try to derail the democratic process in the country. Chairperson BISP said that like its work in Pakistan, BISP is serving the poor and downtrodden in AJK apolitically on a similar patron as in rest of Pakistan.

Farzana Raja said that she herself visited AJK two years back on the instructions of President and Prime Minister of Pakistan and distributed BISP forms amongst Members of Legislative Assembly.

A big amount of money has been disbursed amongst the beneficiaries identified by MLAs of Muslim Conference and its allied parties as compared to beneficiaries identified by fewer PPP MLAs in the past.

She said that these facts not only disprove the allegations regarding misuse of BISP's fund in AJK's elections but also reflect that the defeated minds are only covering their embarrassment. Farzana Raja said that the government of Pakistan Peoples Party have achieved numerous milestones including giving provincial autonomy to provinces through 18th amendment and rigorously fighting against the terrorism and poverty.

She said that BISP is a comprehensive social safety net which is striving to make Pakistan a social welfare state according to the dreams and wishes of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Chairperson BISP said that PPP believes in the politics of reconciliation and it welcomed all the parties to work together for ridding Pakistan of terrorism and poverty. She added that the politics of reconciliation should not be treated as the weakness of PPP.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011