Nawaz Sharif Says Political Rivalry Should Not Turn Into Enmity
- Nawaz Sharif says political rivalry is natural but should never turn into personal hostility.
- PML-N has secured a simple majority in the first two phases of the AJK elections, while PPP has alleged rigging.
- Nawaz pledges maximum development funds for AJK and promises to fulfil the party’s election commitments.
- Maryam Nawaz rejects PPP’s rigging allegations and says voters backed parties offering a development agenda.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday called for greater tolerance in politics, saying political rivalry was part of democracy but disagreements should never be allowed to develop into enmity.
Addressing a PML-N meeting in Murree, which was also attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz expressed concern over the political atmosphere surrounding the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections. He said he had not expected the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to raise objections over the electoral process when the party itself was in power in the region.
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The AJK elections, being conducted in three phases, have brought the PML-N and PPP — coalition partners at the federal level — into direct political competition. The PML-N secured a majority of seats in the first two phases, while the PPP alleged that the elections had been rigged. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also intensified the political confrontation by declaring that the federal government’s “countdown has begun.”
Nawaz described the political environment created during the AJK elections as unprecedented and concerning, saying previous governments had failed to properly discharge their responsibilities.
“This is the first time that this environment has been created in Azad Kashmir, which is a cause of concern for all of us,” he said, adding that the situation had emerged because previous governments had not fulfilled their duties.
The former prime minister urged political parties to exercise restraint and ensure that disagreements remained within democratic limits. He said the PML-N had consistently treated its political rivals with respect and maintained that political competition should never be transformed into hostility.
The PML-N has secured a simple majority following the completion of the first two phases of the AJK elections, winning 24 seats, while the PPP has secured 10. Final results from the third phase are still awaited.
Nawaz said the PML-N was set to form the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and assured voters that commitments made during the election campaign would be honoured. He congratulated party leaders and workers on the electoral performance, while noting that the overall election process had yet to be completed.
Calling for greater investment in the region, Nawaz said maximum possible funds should be allocated to Azad Kashmir, with public welfare, infrastructure and development placed at the centre of the incoming government’s priorities.
He said the people of AJK were looking towards Punjab as a model of development, referring to projects initiated during Shehbaz Sharif’s tenure and subsequently taken forward under Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
“The way we transformed Punjab, we will transform Azad Kashmir as well,” Nawaz said, warning that failing to deliver after receiving the public mandate would leave voters disappointed.
Turning to the national economic situation, the PML-N president praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his team for their efforts to address the country’s challenges. He said the government had inherited an extremely difficult situation but conditions were now gradually improving.
According to Nawaz, efforts were underway to put Pakistan on a stronger economic footing and reduce its dependence on external financial assistance. He said the government was working towards ending Pakistan’s reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and achieving greater economic self-reliance.
Speaking at the same meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz criticised the PPP over its allegations concerning the AJK elections. She said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had demonstrated political accommodation by inviting the PPP to form its government in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Maryam argued that the PPP was not the majority party in AJK and expressed regret over what she described as “false allegations” of rigging against the PML-N.
She questioned why the PPP was not making similar allegations in areas where it had won in Gilgit-Baltistan but was challenging results in constituencies where it had suffered defeat.
Maryam said the AJK election results suggested that voters had closely followed campaign speeches, assessed the competing manifestos and then made their decision at the ballot box.
“Those who had nothing to offer in AJK were rejected by the people,” she said.
The Punjab chief minister also targeted the PPP’s development record, arguing that the party could not credibly campaign on promises of better roads when infrastructure had remained in poor condition for 17 years in areas under its administration.
She similarly questioned the PPP’s ability to promise improved public transport, saying it had failed to provide adequate bus services to people in areas where it governed and that existing services were also in poor condition.
Maryam also criticised sanitation standards, claiming the PPP could not promise an improved cleanliness system when garbage remained a major problem in areas under its administration.
Responding directly to the rigging allegations, she said PPP leaders appeared to have overlooked the fact that the government and administrative machinery in AJK were under their own control during the elections.
“The president, prime minister, police, administration and staff in AJK were all their own,” Maryam said.
She added that those accusing political opponents of electoral manipulation should consider the circumstances and apply “a little logic” before making such allegations.
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