Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Central Information Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chan strongly criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), alleging biased conduct and lack of transparency in the recently held Sambrial by-election.  Speaking to journalists alongside other party leaders, Chan said the ECP appeared to be favoring the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), mockingly referring to it as “Election Commission (N).”  “I ask, why does the Election Commission put the people in trouble? Let them issue a letter.

People will not vote for those who align themselves with the PML-N,” Chan stated. He admitted that both the PPP and the PML-N failed to garner public support in the by-election, attributing the loss to growing voter disillusionment and skepticism over electoral fairness. Chan claimed the PPP was deliberately weakened in Punjab through a systematic approach and criticized the role of the ECP in what he described as an unfair electoral process. “People believe the PPP has been wronged in Punjab.

During our campaign, voters told us to either side with or distance ourselves from the PML-N. They clearly said, ‘leave the PML-N, and we will vote for you,’” he said. Referring to the performance of the provincial government, Chan said public perception of the Chief Minister’s development projects was superficial. “It’s all for show. Farmers have lost three crops, and Punjab, being an agriculture-dependent province, is suffering. Despite investing billions, there are no tangible benefits for the common people,” he said. 

He further alleged that government machinery was used to influence the election outcome. “Had we the machinery, we would’ve secured 45,000 votes too. They even took away ballot boxes. While those claiming victory deserve congratulations, the truth is the election wasn’t transparent,” he added. Chan reaffirmed PPP’s commitment to democratic principles and vowed to continue the political struggle. “The PPP is a democratic party. We will contest the next election with lessons learned from this one.

If the Election Commission demands evidence, we will present it,” he concluded. The PPP leader also raised concerns over hospital privatizations, stating that the party could not justify such decisions to the public. “We had no answer when people asked us why hospitals are being privatized. This is not the direction we support,” he said. Chan’s remarks come amid growing criticism of electoral processes in Punjab and increased calls for electoral reforms and accountability from opposition parties.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)