PML-N Dominates First Phase of AJK Elections

MIRPUR: (Staff Reporter) – The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the leading party in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, securing nine of the 13 seats, according to unofficial and unverified results.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won the remaining four seats in the constituencies where polling was held across Mirpur, Bhimber, and Kotli districts.

According to the provisional results, PML-N swept all three constituencies in Bhimber, claimed two of the four seats in Mirpur, and secured four of the six constituencies in Kotli.

Unofficial AJK Election Results Show Neck-and-Neck Battle Between PML-N and PPP

At a late-night press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal announced the first official result for LA-1 Mirpur-I, where PML-N candidate Azhar Sadiq won with 15,427 votes, defeating PPP’s Muhammad Afzal Shahid, who received 9,832 votes. He said the remaining official results would be released after completion of the counting process.

The Chief Election Commissioner described the polls as among the most challenging in AJK’s history, adding that although isolated incidents occurred, the overall electoral process was completed successfully. He also said election officials involved in an alleged irregularity in Kotli were arrested and replaced, while the polling material was recovered.

He referred to disruptions that affected polling in Raja Mahal and acknowledged the death of a political worker in Nakyal but maintained that voting concluded peacefully overall. Polling hours had earlier been extended by one hour because of lower-than-expected voter turnout.

The first phase also proved disappointing for the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), as its regional General Secretary Nisar Ansar Abdali was defeated. PPP AJK President Chaudhry Yasin also lost in his hometown constituency.

Meanwhile, police arrested former minister and IPP candidate Chaudhry Alishan Soni over allegations of violence during polling in Samahni. Police alleged he was involved in setting a polling station on fire, snatching ballot boxes, burning ballot papers, and disrupting the voting process.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhimber Chaudhry Amin said 24 people, including Chaudhry Alishan Soni and his son, had been taken into custody. Police also claimed to have recovered election material allegedly taken during the incident. The assistant commissioner and the relevant station house officer (SHO) were suspended over alleged negligence, while investigations remain ongoing.

According to unofficial results, PML-N winners included Azhar Sadiq (LA-1), Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmed (LA-4), Col (retd) Waqar Noor (LA-5), Chaudhry Mohammad Razzaq (LA-6), Chaudhry Tariq Farooq (LA-7), Umair Naeem (LA-9), Muhammad Asif (LA-11), Muhammad Riasat Khan (LA-12), and Raja Ayaz Ahmed (LA-13). PPP secured victories through Chaudhry Qasim Majeed (LA-2), Chaudhry Yasir Sultan (LA-3), Malik Zafar (LA-8), and Chaudhry Yasin (LA-10).