Abdullah Jan
Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) South Punjab Secretary General and Member National Assembly Natasha Daultana this week warned that the party could launch a political movement if its complaints regarding alleged rigging in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections are not properly heard and addressed by the Election Commission.
Speaking in an interview, Daultana said the PPP had filed applications before the Election Commission against alleged irregularities in the AJK electoral process and was awaiting appropriate relief.
She said the party had deliberately approached the Election Commission first because it believed in constitutional institutions and democratic procedures and wanted its grievances to be resolved through established legal and institutional mechanisms.
However, Daultana cautioned that if the party’s applications were not heard and addressed in accordance with the requirements of justice, the PPP would be compelled to consider launching a movement while exercising its constitutional and democratic rights.
She said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had directed the party to continue its struggle to safeguard the people’s mandate and ensure that their votes were respected.
According to Daultana, protecting the people’s vote and electoral mandate remained a fundamental priority for the PPP, which would continue to pursue every available constitutional and democratic avenue.
She said the party expected the Election Commission to examine its applications on merit and provide appropriate relief if the allegations were substantiated.
Daultana further said that if the applications were not dealt with fairly, the PPP would determine its future course of action after assessing the circumstances and developments.
She reiterated that the party remained committed to constitutional institutions and democratic processes, but would not remain silent if its concerns over the electoral process continued to go unaddressed.
