Pakistan’s two major coalition partners, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have taken a significant step toward easing political tensions by holding a reconciliatory meeting following growing disagreements over the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. The discussions were held in Muzaffarabad after reports of increasing friction between the two parties regarding alleged electoral irregularities in the recent Mirpur polls.
The meeting was reportedly arranged after consultations at the federal level with the objective of preventing political differences from affecting the coalition government in Islamabad. While some sources claimed the initiative was supported by both the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Office, this could not be independently confirmed.
Senior PPP leaders, including Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan, AJK Prime Minister Faisal Rathore, and Nayyar Bukhari, met with Rana Sanaullah and Amir Muqam of the PML-N. During the meeting, both sides openly discussed concerns regarding statements made throughout the election campaign and after the Mirpur election results were announced.
The PML-N asked the PPP to provide evidence supporting its allegations of widespread election rigging. In response, PPP representatives clarified that their objections were limited to four constituencies, namely LA-5, LA-9, LA-11, and LA-12, where they believe serious electoral irregularities occurred.
PML-N leaders argued that since the PPP challenged only four constituencies, it had effectively accepted the results in the remaining nine seats. In those constituencies, the PML-N secured five seats, while the PPP won four.
According to sources, both parties agreed that the political dispute should not escalate further or negatively impact the remaining phases of the AJK elections. They also reached an understanding to strengthen election day security, particularly in Muzaffarabad, by ensuring that no one carries firearms near polling stations. The goal is to promote peaceful, transparent, and credible elections.
The meeting is widely viewed as an important effort to preserve cooperation between the coalition partners and reduce political tensions while maintaining stability during the remaining election process.
