Ikhtiar Wali criticizes PPP over AJK Election allegations

PESHAWAR, Jul 29 (APP): Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Information for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ikhtiar Wali Khan, has criticized Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon over their statements regarding the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, saying their remarks reflect frustration following the election outcome.

In a statement, Ikhtiar Wali Khan said that making baseless allegations to conceal political failure has long been a hallmark of the PPP’s politics. He maintained that the people of Azad Kashmir exercised their democratic right freely, peacefully, and enthusiastically, and had delivered their verdict through the ballot.

He said that instead of accepting the public mandate after an electoral defeat, accusing others of rigging and election theft amounted to disrespecting the people’s decision and demonstrated an undemocratic attitude.

“Those making such baseless accusations should be ashamed,” he remarked.

The PML-N leader also criticized the PPP’s governance in Sindh, saying its performance was evident to the entire nation.

He urged the party to “look within” before leveling accusations against others.

He said Karachi and other parts of Sindh continued to suffer from deteriorating conditions, with citizens facing broken roads, inadequate infrastructure, a poor local government system, and a lack of access to clean drinking water, healthcare, and quality education.

Ikhtiar Wali further stated that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had always demonstrated political maturity and magnanimity toward the PPP. He accused Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of using inappropriate language, adding that the PML-N knew how to respond but had exercised restraint.

He said that if the PPP genuinely claimed to champion public rights, it should first ensure the provision of basic facilities to the people of Sindh, who, despite years of PPP rule, continued to face severe deprivation.

Referring again to the AJK elections, he said that the allegations being made against the electoral process amounted to an insult to the democratic verdict of the Kashmiri people and risked undermining public confidence in elections.

Ikhtiar Wali Khan reiterated that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) believed in public service, transparent democratic processes, development, and public welfare. He urged the PPP to stop blaming others for its political setbacks and to learn to respect the democratic mandate of the people.