Bilawal AJK election controversy intensified after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari alleged that a party worker was killed during polling in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He claimed the fatal shooting was carried out by a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate and called on the authorities to investigate the incident.
In a statement, Bilawal expressed sorrow over the death of PPP worker Mukhtar Younas in constituency LA-9 Kotli-II Nikyal. He said he had received information indicating that the firing was allegedly carried out by PML-N candidate Sardar Umair Naeem.
The PPP chairman questioned the role of the relevant authorities and the Election Commission, asking why action had not been taken despite earlier reports of violence. He urged officials to ensure accountability and maintain law and order during the electoral process.
Bilawal further alleged that a video had surfaced two days earlier showing Sardar Umair Naeem and his associates openly firing weapons. He claimed that timely action by the authorities could have prevented the loss of life and accused political opponents of resorting to unfair tactics.
Separately, PPP leader Saeed Ghani told a press conference in Islamabad that a party worker had been killed and others injured in firing allegedly involving PML-N supporters during the Azad Kashmir elections. He called for a transparent investigation into the incident.
Responding to the situation, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah acknowledged that one person had died and several others were injured in the firing. However, he said it was an isolated incident and maintained that overall polling arrangements across Azad Kashmir remained satisfactory.
Authorities have not yet released the findings of an official investigation into the shooting. The competing claims by political leaders have added to tensions surrounding the Azad Kashmir elections, while calls continue for a fair inquiry to establish the facts.
