Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, two ex-AJK PMs face crucial electoral test

Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, the current Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), along with two of his predecessors—Sardar Tanveer Ilyas and Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan—face a critical electoral test as voters in four constituencies of Poonch division go to the polls on Monday in the third phase of the region’s most contentious general elections.

The four constituencies, located in Bagh district and Haveli, are considered among the most closely watched contests of the election, with all three former and incumbent premiers facing strong challenges from rival candidates. The Election Commission has classified most of the 803 polling stations in the four constituencies as either sensitive or highly sensitive, with an additional 10,300 troops dispatched to maintain law and order amid heightened security concerns.

Brief written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.