Second phase of AJK polls begins in Muzaffarabad division

The second phase of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) commenced on Sunday morning, with polling taking place in nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division and all 12 refugee constituencies. The polling period is scheduled to continue until 5pm. A total of 207 candidates are vying for nine seats in Muzaffarabad division, while 137 candidates are contesting 12 refugee constituencies.

There are 1,483 polling stations in Muzaffarabad division, including 533 marked as highly sensitive, 741 sensitive, and 209 normal. In the refugee constituencies, 1,057 polling stations have been established. A total of 809,621 voters are registered in Muzaffarabad division, while the combined electorate for the refugee constituencies is 438,834.

The elections will be held in districts such as Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan, with polling stations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The PPP and PML-N, coalition partners in the federal government, have been engaged in a tense rivalry since the first phase of elections, with leaders from both parties accusing each other of rigging.

Efforts have been made to resolve the dispute through multiple rounds of talks, but tensions persist. The elections in AJK have significant implications for the overall political dynamics in the region.