AJK elections: Maryam Aurangzeb says complaints can't win votes

ISLAMABAD, August 2: As polling continued in the AJK elections, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Information Secretary Maryam Aurangzeb claimed that the party was on course for another victory in Muzaffarabad after its success in Mirpur, saying voters were once again supporting the “lion” election symbol, ARY News reported.

In a statement on Sunday, Maryam Aurangzeb criticised the PPP, saying elections are won by campaigning and securing votes, not by making allegations or complaints.

She said the reaction of the opposition after the Mirpur result showed they were unable to accept defeat and advised them to focus on bringing voters to polling stations instead of “crying”.

“Without votes and voters, you cannot win an election,” she said, adding that threats, protests and rigging allegations could not replace public support.

The PML-N leader claimed that, like Mirpur, voters in Muzaffarabad had also come out in support of her party and that the public’s confidence in PML-N was visible during polling.

Maryam Aurangzeb said the people of AJK had expressed trust in Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

She also claimed that PML-N camps on the refugee seats were receiving encouraging reports, while the party’s opponents were “lamenting” their expected defeat.

“The voter comes out after judging performance and stamps the ballot accordingly,” she said, adding that the Mirpur election had already reflected public opinion.

Maryam Aurangzeb further claimed that the voting trend in Muzaffarabad also pointed towards a PML-N victory and said the party had completed preparations for the final phase of the AJK elections, including Poonch.

She expressed confidence that the PML-N’s “lion” symbol would emerge victorious in the last phase of the AJK elections as well.