AJK elections: Rana Sanaullah says LA-14 winner has joined hands with PML-N

MUZAFFARABAD: PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah announced on Monday that Sajid Iqbal Abbasi — who won the LA-14 seat on Jammu Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party’s ticket in recent elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) — had allied with his party.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the PM’s adviser on political affairs reiterated that the PML-N was set to form the government in AJK as it had secured 25 seats in the elections.

He expected the party’s total strength to reach around 33 after the allocation of reserved seats, close to a two-thirds majority in the 53-member legislative assembly.

The elections in AJK were held in phases, with the Election Commission citing security concerns. The PML-N had already bagged 25 seats in the elections before Abbasi’s joining. The party’s main contender, the PPP, won only 12 constituencies and has alleged rigging and electoral malpractices.

Meanwhile, elections for seven seats in AJK are yet to be held due to the security situation.

Sanaullah said in his press briefing that the people had given the PML-N the mandate in AJK. He expressed confidence that the upcoming elections for the seven remaining seats could help the party achieve the two-thirds majority target.

The PML-N leader credited his party’s mandate of development and public services in AJK for the election results. He said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had appealed directly to voters in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur, asking them to support PML-N to help strengthen AJK’s relationship with the federal government.

PML-N unveils road map for AJK’s development

AJK PML-N Secretary General and MLA-elect Chaudhry Tariq Farooq on Monday unveiled a roadmap for the incoming PML-N government, with a focus on governance, institutional reforms, youth employment and public welfare, calling for an end to post-election bitterness in AJK.

In a statement, Farooq called upon political parties, leaders, workers and voters to put aside their differences and work together now that the electoral process in AJK had largely been completed.

He urged political stakeholders to use constitutional and legal forums rather than allowing electoral differences to turn into prolonged political confrontation.

“Elections are an essential part of democracy; differences of opinion and competition are natural, but after the elections, we have to move forward together,” he said.

Farooq said polling was yet to be held in seven constituencies of Poonch Division because of the law and order situation and other “unavoidable reasons”.

He expressed confidence that elections in the remaining constituencies would be held in accordance with the Constitution and law once the situation returned to normal.

Describing Poonch as an important chapter in the region’s history, freedom movement and association with Pakistan, he said its people had rendered “unforgettable” sacrifices in the Kashmir freedom movement as well as Pakistan’s defence and national causes.

He said the real test for political parties was not merely forming a government but governing effectively.

“The government is not of any one party, group, region or voter, but of the entire people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, stressing that its objective should be to provide relief, justice, employment, education, healthcare and better public services.

Farooq’s proposed priorities for the incoming government included improving governance, introducing institutional reforms, making the development system more effective and addressing the problems confronting young people.

He termed youth unemployment and the resulting frustration among them the biggest challenge facing the region, and called for urgent attention to universities, colleges, educational institutions, hospitals and other public-sector institutions.

“We must examine why our youth are disillusioned, why our institutions are failing to meet public expectations, and how these problems can be addressed through immediate and practical solutions,” he said.

The PML-N leader said objections to election results should be pursued through the mechanisms provided by the Constitution and law, including election tribunals.

He urged all stakeholders to trust constitutional and legal institutions and seek redress through the prescribed forums.

Farooq said the PML-N was going to form a “people-oriented, democratic and responsible government” in accordance with the vision and directions of Nawaz.

He also called for greater coordination among the AJK government, political parties and the federal government on the Kashmir issue.

Farooq urged political leaders and workers to turn their differences into “democratic strength” and remain united on what he termed the fundamental interests of the state, its people, Pakistan and the Kashmir freedom movement.

“Let us not turn political differences into hostility, let us not transform electoral competition into permanent confrontation,” he said.

He also called for strengthening national unity and creating a peaceful, stable and developed environment in AJK.

“Whatever had to happen during the elections has happened,” he said, urging stakeholders to move beyond past bitterness and focus on building the future.

Farooq said administrative divisions and districts should not become barriers between the people, stressing that the prosperity, peace, development and dignity of residents of Poonch, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur and other regions were interconnected.

“The time has come for us to move beyond politics, promote unity, improve governance, give hope to our youth and provide relief to the people,” he said.

Correction: This story previously erroneously stated that Sajid Iqbal Abbasi has joined the PML-N when he has allied with the party. The error has been corrected.