Staff Reporter Islamabad
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari slammed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for rigging and using money in the recently concluded elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and warned that his party would give a tough time to the incoming government there.
Talking to PPP’s newly-elected lawmakers for the AJK Legislative Assembly in the federal capital, Bilawal said that he would be contacting other opposition parties in the struggle against the PTI government, and expose the rigging in AJK polls inside and outside parliament.
“There has never been more rigging in the past than the recently held AJK elections. Their minister was caught red-handed while distributing money,” Bilawal said. “A new government is being formed in the AJK on the basis of money but the PPP would not allow it run,” he added.
Bilawal said that despite the rigging, the PPP gave a tough time to PTI in the AJK and added that the party would not leave the field open for the incoming “puppet” government.
He stressed need for all the opposition parties to come to the same page to give the PTI government a tough time.
Commenting on the government’s proposal to introduce the electronic voting machines, the PPP chairman said that the party could not accept the proposal unless it was acceptable to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Talking to the reporters after the meeting, Bilawal said that the PPP was the largest opposition party in the AJK.
“We will give a tough time to the puppet government of Azad Kashmir alone and together with other parties,” he said. “We will work with the opposition to formulate a strategy.”
Replying to a question about lodging of cases against the PPP lawmakers, Bilawal referred to the newly-elected Chaudhry Yaseen.
“[Such] actions against us are not new,” he said, adding Chaudhry Yaseen was attacked and it was seen on TV. Yet Chaudhry Yasin won on two seats.
“Political revenge is being taken from Chaudhry Yasin and his son as murder cases have been filed against them.
We will protest strongly and we will not allow actions against our people. We will … join other parties in the protest.”
