{
  "id": 693580,
  "title": "AJK polls: Rathore’s LA-17 Haveli victory disputed, local PML-N announces indefinite strike",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/ajk-polls-rathores-la-17-haveli-victory-disputed-local-pml-n-693580",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-12T18:33:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2022397/ajk-polls-rathores-la-17-haveli-victory-disputed-local-pml-n-announces-indefinite-strike"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Wednesday, a controversy arose in Muzaffarabad after the returning officer declared PPP's Faisal Mumtaz Rathore the winner from LA-17 (Haveli) constituency, despite Engineer Mohsin Aziz being assured that the form would not be issued until the Election Commission addressed his complaint. This led to a complete shutdown strike and protest by PML-N workers in Forward Kahuta, who demanded a recount and an investigation into alleged rigging. Polling had taken place on Monday amid allegations of rigging by all three contenders - PM Rathore, PML-N's Aziz and independent candidate Khawaja Tariq Saeed. Later, Chief Election Commissioner Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal stated the Commission would determine the result after receiving polling bags and election records. Despite both the Deputy Returning Officer Waheed Mughal and RO Asheer Chughtai being evacuated by the army, the RO still issued Form 27 in favor of Rathore. Aziz maintained that Form 24s provided to polling agents showed his candidate leading by over 8,000 votes. The Election Commission announced it would consider the matter, but Aziz vowed to seek a recount and challenge the results in the 'people's court'. The PPP also criticized the elections, calling them 'rigged and violent'.",
  "summary": "MUZAFFARABAD: A controversy emerged on Wednesday after the returning officer (RO) issued Form 27 declaring PPP’s Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, the sitting AJK prime minister, the winner from LA-17 (Haveli), despite rival PML-N candidate Engineer Mohsin Aziz being assured that the form would not be issued until the Election Commission took up his complaint. The development triggered fresh tensions in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "AJK polls: Rathore’s LA-17 Haveli victory disputed, local PML-N announces indefinite strike",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/ajk-polls-rathores-la-17-haveli-victory-disputed-local-pml-n",
        "published": "2026-08-12T18:33:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}