AJK elections: PML-N, PPP secure one seat each following delayed polls in Muzaffarabad constituencies
MUZAFFARABAD: The PML-N and PPP have secured one seat each in the two constituencies of Muzaffarabad division where polling was held on Tuesday after being fully or partially deferred due to landslides and adverse weather that blocked roads and prevented the timely dispatch of polling staff and election material. The contest was part of the second phase of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir…
The PML-N and PPP have each claimed one seat in Muzaffarabad division of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) following delayed polls on Tuesday, caused by landslides and adverse weather conditions that hindered the timely deployment of polling staff and election materials. This was the second phase of elections, where candidates competed for Muzaffarabad division seats and 12 refugee seats reserved for individuals from India-occupied Kashmir.
According to official results from the AJK Election Commission, PML-N's Noreen Arif won the LA-27 (Kutla) seat with 18,919 votes, outpacing Sardar Tabarak Ali of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) by 298 votes. PPP's Sardar Javed Ayoub placed second with 18,037 votes. Simultaneously, PPP's Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi secured the LA-28 (Lachhrat) seat with 28,214 votes, while PML-N's Chaudhry Shahzad Mahmood came in third with 26,866 votes.
The third runner-up in LA-28 was Syed Yasir Hussain Naqvi of the All Jammu and Kashmir Conference, who garnered only 873 votes. The Election Commission also announced the returned candidates for the remaining seats in the second phase of the elections. So far, PML-N has won 24 seats and PPP has secured 10. During the first phase of elections in Mirpur division, PML-N won nine of the 13 seats, while PPP secured four.
After the completion of Tuesday's polls, PML-N has added 15 more seats to its tally and PPP has added six more. The third and final phase of elections will occur in Poonch division on August 10, with 11 seats up for grabs. Elections in AJK are taking place in three phases due to security concerns and protests by the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which is demanding the abolition of the 12 refugee seats in the AJK legislature.
Demonstrations against these demands have been marked by violence. Polling also witnessed scuffles, violence, and allegations of electoral malpractices, with the PML-N and PPP blaming each other for such practices.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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