AJK elections: PPP, IPP ahead in two Muzaffarabad constituencies

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) are expected to emerge victorious in two constituencies of Muzaffarabad division, where elections were initially postponed due to landslides and adverse weather conditions. Polling was successfully conducted in LA-27 Muzaffarabad-I (Kotla) and 71 out of 174 polling stations in LA-28 Muzaffarabad-II (Lachhrat) following authorities' postponement of the process due to blocked roads.

Initial unofficial results indicate PPP's Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi won the LA-28 constituency by beating PML-N candidate Chaudhry Shahzad Mehmood. However, allegations of PPP workers removing ballot boxes led to repolling in two stations alongside fresh voting in the remaining 52 stations where polling had not taken place earlier, with Naqvi leading by merely five votes.

In LA-27 (Kotla), where polling was delayed until Tuesday, preliminary results from 115 stations indicate IPP's Sardar Tabarak Ali leading with 15,770 votes, followed by PML-N's Noreen Arif with 12,800 votes and PPP's Sardar Javed Ayoub with 9,880 votes. With these results, the PPP has secured four seats in Muzaffarabad division, matching the PML-N's tally in the region.

The IPP is on track to secure its first Assembly seat, with regional president Sardar Tanveer Ilyas garnering 3,300 votes from Upper Neelum. Elections are being held in three phases in AJK due to security concerns, with polling held in seven seats of Muzaffarabad division and 12 refugee seats on Sunday. The third phase will see elections held in 11 constituencies of Poonch division on August 10.

In the first phase, the PML-N secured nine out of 13 seats in AJK's Mirpur division on July 27, while the PPP won the remaining four seats. Both parties, being allies at the center, have been engaged in a heated debate since then, with the PPP accusing the PML-N of rigging, violence, and electoral malpractices. Following allegations of ballot box theft, the Election Commission ordered repolling at two stations and additional voting in 52 stations where polling could not be held earlier.

The PPP has also shared complaints with the Election Commission accusing the PML-N of ballot stuffing at polling stations no.95 and no.97 in LA-28 and obstructing the voting process in other stations.