Lahore: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has defended the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s performance in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, saying voters supported development and progress, while sharply criticising Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Bukhari said the people of Azad Kashmir had voted for “development and innovation” and urged political opponents to accept the election results.
“The people of Mirpur Division expressed their decision through the ballot box. The people of Azad Kashmir chose the PML-N, and political parties should accept the public mandate with an open heart,” she said.
Referring to Bilawal Bhutto’s recent political remarks, Bukhari used a sarcastic expression, claiming that he had confronted someone publicly and then spent the rest of the night seeking reconciliation.
The Punjab minister praised Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying her government’s work over the past 18 months was visible across the province.
She questioned the PPP government’s performance in Sindh, asking why Karachi still faced problems with public transport and waste management despite the party having governed the province for many years.
Bukhari argued that political parties should present their governance record to voters rather than relying on criticism of opponents.
Comparing the two provinces, she said the contrast between “Maryam’s Punjab and Bilawal’s Sindh” was evident. She cited projects including the expansion of Green Bus services, education initiatives, development programmes in South Punjab, and beautification projects across districts as examples of the Punjab government’s performance.
She also referred to the Metro Bus service in South Punjab and the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Hospital, saying these projects reflected the PML-N’s commitment to development.
The minister criticised the Sindh government’s handling of education, transport, and municipal services, claiming students in Sindh continued to protest over educational issues while Punjab had introduced scholarships and laptop schemes for students.
Bukhari further said Punjab had strengthened disaster preparedness by providing modern equipment to the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and introducing air ambulance services, contrasting these measures with what she described as limited transport initiatives in Sindh.
She also claimed that the restoration of Karachi’s electricity supply in the past had been carried out during the tenure of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Her remarks came amid an ongoing exchange of criticism between leaders of the PML-N and PPP following the Azad Kashmir elections, with both parties defending their respective governance records and electoral positions.
The statements made by Azma Bukhari reflect her political views and criticism of the opposition. The claims regarding governance and election-related issues remain part of the continuing political debate between the two parties.
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