Key Takeaways
- PML-N won 23 out of 45 general seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.
- The party secured enough seats to form the next government ahead of final polling on August 10.
- PPP claimed irregularities and violence, but PML-N rejected these allegations.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the leading political party in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), winning 23 out of a total of 45 general seats in the Legislative Assembly, according to unofficial election results. This victory positions PML-N to potentially form the next government in AJK ahead of the final polling phase on August 10.
Speaking at a press conference, Rana Sanaullah, adviser to the prime minister on political affairs and Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam, stated that PML-N had secured enough seats to form the next government. The party won 13 seats during Sunday’s second phase of polling in the Muzaffarabad division, including four out of seven constituencies in Muzaffarabad city.
The Pakistan People's Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, secured three seats in the same division. Additionally, PML-N won 10 of the 12 seats reserved for refugees, with PPP securing the remaining two. The election was marred by allegations of irregularities and incidents of violence, with PPP leaders claiming that their members were attacked during polling.
Despite these claims, Sanaullah rejected the allegations, accusing the PPP of colluding with the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to disrupt the electoral process. He alleged that PPP and JAAC instigated unrest at a public square in Muzaffarabad, resulting in gunfire after police intervention.
According to Sanaullah, the death of one person during this incident created fear among voters, leading to lower turnout and contributing to PML-N’s defeat in one of the city constituencies. The PPP also claimed an alleged assassination attempt involving Chaudhry Latif Akbar, a PPP candidate, but Sanaullah dismissed these claims as part of a staged narrative.
Sanaullah maintained that the polling process remained 'free, fair and transparent' throughout election day, even offering to conduct a forensic audit of the polling stations where rigging was alleged. He stated that the PPP initially raised objections regarding results in 13 constituencies but later reduced these to four and eventually two after being asked for evidence.
Polling in constituency LA-27 was postponed due to adverse weather conditions, with voting at 54 polling stations in LA-27 and LA-28 scheduled for Tuesday. The PML-N parliamentary party will convene a meeting after the third and final phase of elections on August 10 to discuss government formation.
The election results reflect ongoing political tensions between PML-N and PPP, with both parties accusing each other of irregularities and violence. As the final phase of polling approaches, the outcome could significantly impact governance in AJK.
We even offered to conduct a forensic audit of the polling stations where rigging was alleged.
Rana Sanaullah, Adviser to the prime minister on political affairs and Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan
