Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Monday said the forces staging sit-ins had failed to stop the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections and prevent people from exercising their right to vote.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Sanaullah said the people of AJK had given their elected representatives a mandate and that the process of government formation would begin after completion of the third and final phase of the elections.

He said he hoped the protesters would now recognise the ground realities and end their sit-ins, adding that the government would review the legitimate demands of the demonstrators.

However, Rana Sanaullah warned that those involved in violence and hooliganism would face legal action.

“Those who take up arms and become instruments of the enemy will have to face the law,” he said.

He added that those responsible for damaging public property would have to be held accountable for their crimes.

Sanaullah said the elections in Bagh and Haveli were proceeding peacefully overall.

However, he said an attempt was made at one polling station in Haveli to snatch electoral records from polling staff.

He said a Rapid Response Force comprising Rangers and Pakistan Army personnel reacted immediately and brought the situation under control.

The PML-N leader said those seeking to prevent people from voting had failed to achieve their objective.

He also rejected allegations of electoral rigging, saying those making the claims had so far failed to provide any concrete evidence.

Sanaullah accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of using rigging allegations to cover up its electoral defeat.

“The PPP is making claims about rigging, but without any evidence,” he said, expressing hope that the party would accept the results and congratulate the PML-N on its victory.

He said the AJK elections had been free, fair and transparent and that, based on the results so far, the PML-N was expected to form a government with a two-thirds majority.

Sanaullah said a democratic government would focus on resolving public issues once the electoral process was completed.