ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) women leaders rejected the recent election process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), alleging widespread rigging and irregularities and warning that the disputed electoral exercise could further damage the Kashmir cause and fuel political unrest in the region.
Addressing at a joint press conference on Monday, PPP leaders Palwasha Khan, Shahlah Raza and Sharmila Faruqui strongly criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) governments at the Centre and in Punjab, while raising serious questions over the conduct of the AJK elections.
Senator Palwasha Khan said the AJK elections could be described as “the darkest blot” on the electoral process, given the alleged irregularities. She said calling the polls peaceful would amount to a “blatant lie.”
She alleged that polling was stopped at several places and that attempts were subsequently made to downplay the incidents by describing them as minor. She further claimed that the PML-N had prior knowledge of the election results and announced its victory before the results were officially finalised.
Palwasha warned that the situation could trigger “a new fire” in Kashmir, saying that a cycle of violence and bloodshed would ultimately harm the Kashmir cause.
Questioning reports of exceptionally high voter turnout, she said claims of 96 to 99 percent turnout in certain areas raised serious questions about the credibility of the election.
She warned that the political consequences of what she termed a “two-number election” would become visible in the days ahead.
“Political positions are temporary. This country has not been given to anyone on lease,” Palwasha said, adding that the government being formed by the PML-N in AJK would be a controversial one.
She said the PPP had remained among the people and faced political difficulties instead of abandoning its supporters. Referring to incidents of violence and alleged counterterrorism operations, she questioned the whereabouts of those who had lost their lives and women whose cases, she alleged, had been ignored.
“We are your allies, but we are not your slaves,” she said.
Shahlah Raza also questioned the credibility of the electoral process, alleging that the government had resorted to rigging to prevent a situation similar to the one witnessed in Gilgit-Baltistan.
She claimed that between 26 and 29 complaints had been submitted to the Election Commission before 1pm on polling day. She further alleged that election material was snatched from police personnel and firing took place during the incidents.
Raza also referred to an incident involving an MNA who was allegedly shot, saying that the matter would remain a serious question for those responsible for conducting the elections.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Sharmila Faruqui criticised what she described as repeated comparisons between Punjab and Sindh by PML-N leaders.
She said claims that Lahore was a highly secure city and that women in Punjab were completely safe should be viewed in light of reported incidents of crime. Referring to an alleged incident involving a mentally challenged girl in Lahore, Faruqui claimed that the matter had not been properly investigated.
She also alleged that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Punjab had been involved in hundreds of encounters and claimed that 670 people had been killed in such operations.
Faruqui questioned whether the doors of justice had been closed, saying that the PPP believed in fulfilling legal and constitutional requirements.
She also referred to child abuse cases in Punjab, claiming that 90 percent of such cases were reported from the province, and questioned the value of development and cleanliness if children were not safe.
The PPP leaders demanded accountability for the alleged electoral irregularities and stressed that political offices were temporary, while the people’s right to free, fair and transparent elections was permanent.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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