My Winning Mandate Was Stolen”: Saba Dewan Alleges Rigging in AJK Elections,

Vows to Challenge Results in Court

Exclusive Interview with Nazrana Times
LAHORE:! Nazrana Times! Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Saba Dewan, who contested the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly constituency LA-41 Kashmir Valley-II, has rejected the election outcome and alleged that her electoral mandate was unlawfully denied through systematic rigging and alleged official interference.

In an exclusive interview with Nazrana Times, Saba Dewan claimed that officials associated with the electoral process openly favoured the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate and that government machinery was allegedly used to influence the outcome of the election.

Officially reported results show PML-N candidate Muhammad Amir Shah securing 1,804 votes, while Saba Dewan finished second with 1,523 votes. Dewan has rejected the result and, according to reports, announced that she would challenge it before the High Court.

“I Have Evidence and Will Take It to Court”

Speaking to Nazrana Times, Saba Dewan said she possessed what she described as comprehensive evidence of electoral irregularities.
“I have complete evidence of the irregularities and alleged rigging in the election. I will present this evidence before the competent court and seek justice through the legal process.”

She alleged that she was subjected to political pressure and claimed that an attempt was made to persuade her to change her political loyalty.

According to Dewan, when she refused to compromise her political position, the seat she believes she had won was allegedly “gifted” to the PML-N candidate.

Allegations Against Election Officials

Dewan further alleged that certain election officials acted in favour of the PML-N candidate and that the electoral process was not conducted fairly.
She called for an impartial judicial examination of the polling process, election records and the conduct of officials involved in the constituency.
She maintained that the issue was not merely about an individual candidate but about protecting the sanctity of the voters’ mandate.

Concern Over Husband’s Detention

During the interview, Saba Dewan also spoke at length about the detention of her husband, Dewan Mohiuddin, whom she described as a heart patient and a former six-time member of the AJK Legislative Assembly who had also served twice as a state minister.
She alleged that her husband was being kept in a Lahore jail in a politically motivated case because of his continued political association with PTI founder Imran Khan.
Dewan claimed that despite her husband's medical condition and previous public office, the authorities were allegedly restricting access to adequate medical care, medicines, food from home and other facilities available to prisoners under the law.

These allegations could not independently be verified by Nazrana Times, and the relevant authorities have not been given an opportunity to respond within this interview.

“Government Departments Are Not Cooperating With the Courts”

Saba Dewan further alleged that police and other government departments were not cooperating properly with the courts, which, she claimed, was causing unnecessary delays in proceedings against her husband.

She accused the Punjab government of using state institutions against political opponents and urged the courts to ensure that legal proceedings were conducted fairly and without political interference.

9 May Cases and PTI Leaders

Referring to the cases arising from the May 9 unrest, Dewan criticised the arrests and prosecution of PTI leaders and workers, including former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, former ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry.

She alleged that hundreds of PTI workers and office-bearers had been arrested as part of a broader political crackdown.

“Violence Will Not Resolve Kashmir’s Political Crisis”

Commenting on the ongoing protests in Azad Kashmir, Saba Dewan warned that the use of force could further deteriorate the situation.

“Political problems are resolved through dialogue, not through force. If PTI were in government, we would sit across the table and negotiate because politicians must resolve political disputes through talks.”

She urged the authorities to avoid confrontation and open a meaningful dialogue with political representatives and protesters.

“Respect the People’s Mandate”

Saba Dewan said she would continue her legal and political struggle against what she described as an unjust election outcome.
She called upon the Election Commission and the courts to examine the allegations transparently and ensure that the votes of the people were protected.
“This is not simply my fight. It is a fight for the right of voters to have their mandate respected. I will take every piece of evidence available to me before the court and seek justice through constitutional and legal means.”

Nazrana Times Disclaimer: The allegations regarding electoral rigging, political interference, detention, denial of facilities and alleged misconduct by government or election officials are claims attributed to Saba Dewan in this interview. Nazrana Times has not independently verified these allegations. The relevant government departments, Election Commission authorities, police and PML-N representatives were not available for comment at the time of publication. The publication of these allegations does not constitute an endorsement of them by Nazrana Times.