Sharjeel Memon accuses PML-N of AJK poll rigging

Says PML-N seeks to impose a 'Form 47' government in Kashmir after disputed mandate

Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon strongly lashed out at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Tuesday and accused it of rigging in the first phase of the polls for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Reacting to the remarks of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, he said the saying "adding insult to injury" aptly applied to the PML-N

He said that the PML-N's theft of the innocent Kashmiris' right to vote was evident for everyone to see. He said that massive rigging took place, weapons were openly displayed, and a PPP worker was martyred. Instead of expressing condolences and regret over the incident, CM Maryam chose not to do so. He added that she spoke with the arrogance that comes with power.

Memon said that every child in Pakistan knew how the PML-N came to power through the Form 47 mandate. He said that the people of Punjab gave the party a crushing defeat; none of its major leaders succeeded, yet it still formed the government. He added that everyone knew how the PML-N secured the federal government. He said that the same party, the product of Form 47 rigging, now wants to impose a Form 47-style government in Kashmir.

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He said that the people alone had the right to decide, and questioned why the PML-N suffered a historic defeat in 2024, while the PPP continued to achieve greater success in Sindh with every election. He said that Sindh provides some of the best healthcare facilities in the country, with people from Punjab also coming to Sindh for medical treatment. Referring to Maryam's remarks about Sindh, he said that the Sindh government generated thousands of megawatts of electricity from Thar coal.

He added that Pakistan's first EV buses were also launched by the Pakistan Peoples Party in Sindh. He said that Sindh's road infrastructure was better despite the federal government's neglect in road development. He added that since the federal government has mostly been led by the PML-N, the absence of quality motorways in Sindh is also its responsibility. He said that the Sindh government pioneered several projects for persons with disabilities, and even the federal government sought Sindh's assistance in implementing similar initiatives. He added that Sindh's public-private partnership model is among the best in the country, a fact acknowledged by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself.

Memon said that there are countless examples to prove that the PPP has consistently increased its vote bank and number of seats, while the PML-N remains in power through a fake mandate. He said that the PPP seeks only free, fair, and transparent elections. Addressing the PML-N, he said that they came to power through Form 47 and should reflect on how they obtained power. He asked whether the people of Punjab had voted for them, saying they had not.

He challenged CM Maryam to resign, choose any constituency, and contest fresh elections. He said the PPP was also prepared to resign in Sindh because the people of Sindh would once again elect the party, whereas the people of Punjab would not elect her from any constituency. He said that regardless of how many MPAs and MNAs they had elected, they should face the people again and see the extent of public rejection in Punjab. He said that the PML-N is occupying the seats of power by force, coming into office as tenants but behaving like landlords. He said that the Pakistan Peoples Party has genuinely served the people, which is why it continues to receive public support and votes. He added that no other party has made sacrifices comparable to those of the PPP leadership, while the PML-N leadership repeatedly left the country through deals during difficult times. He said that the PPP never fled, unlike its opponents, who entered into agreements with dictators for years.

He added that no political party can match the PPP's political character. Referring to the PML-N's past, he said that it had also come to power through rigging and manipulation during the IGI era, and the same pattern was repeated today. He urged the party not to compare itself with the PPP and to let the people of Kashmir decide their own future. Memon said that if CM Maryam claims the PPP government was involved in Kashmir, then the call data records (CDRs) and location data should be obtained. He said that the PPP prime minister was not present in Mirpur, whereas federal ministers from the PML-N were there.

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He questioned what the federal ministers were doing in Mirpur and said that they remained there until the morning, influencing the administration. In contrast, he said, AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore did not even attend Chairman Bilawal Bhutto's rally to ensure that the code of conduct was not violated, whereas the federal ministers openly violated it.

He said that before the elections, the PML-N had never shown any concern for Kashmir, but just three days before polling day it sent buses, which he described as a violation of the election code of conduct. He alleged that the Election Commission ignored these violations because of the PML-N's governments in the federation and Punjab. He said that both governments were influencing the elections in Kashmir in violation of the code of conduct.

Memon said that the PML-N first deprived the people of Punjab of their rights, then forcibly occupied the federal government, and is now attempting to do the same in Kashmir. He said that the people of Kashmir rejected the party before and continue to reject it today. He added that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan had also rejected the PML-N, where it failed to gain public support. He said that despite transporting people from Punjab to Kashmir in buses, the party still failed to receive a welcome from the people of Kashmir.

He said that the Pakistan Peoples Party has acted with responsibility and proved itself to be a truly patriotic party, while the PML-N is willing to adopt every illegal method in its pursuit of power. He alleged that the party is prepared to sacrifice innocent lives, oppress people, and steal the mandate of the people of Kashmir. He said that just as the people of Pakistan rejected the PML-N before, they would reject it again.

Memon said that if the PML-N truly believes it enjoys public support, it should resign and face the people. He said that the PPP is also prepared to resign and contest by-elections to test public confidence. He said that the PML-N is in power based on a false and fabricated mandate and is itself a product of Form 47. He alleged that the party now wants to establish another Form 47-style government in Kashmir, but the people of Kashmir will never accept it. He added that while elections may be won through coercion or manipulation, genuine public love and acceptance cannot be obtained that way.