Stop crying, accept AJK polls results with ‘open heart’, Maryam hits back at Bilawal

Responding to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s tirade, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz urged the party to accept its defeat in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections “with an open heart” instead of levelling rigging allegations.

In a video statement, the Punjab CM said: “Crying will not help. The PPP should have accepted its defeat [in AJK polls] with an open heart.”

Her remarks come hours after PPP’s Bilawal criticised PML-N and the conduct of the AJK elections, saying that the state must decide whether national interest or the PML-N interest was more important.

Addressing a workers’ convention in Muzaffarabad earlier in the day, Bilawal questioned whether the situation in Azad Kashmir could be described as democracy. He said PPP candidates had secured a majority in line with the public’s votes and expectations.

In the first phase of the elections, the PML-N secured victory in nine constituencies of the AJK Legislative Assembly elections, according to unofficial and provisional results, while the PPP won four seats of the total 13 constituencies across Mirpur.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details