MUZAFFARABAD(National Times)- The PML-N appeared in a comfortable position to consolidate its lead over the PPP in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly after unofficial results from the AJK polls\u2019 second phase showed it ahead in most contests, including the refugee seats spread across Pakistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By late Sunday night, the Election Commission had officially notified results of five refugee constituencies, four of which were won by the PML-N and one by the PPP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unofficial and unverified results from the remaining constituencies, however, suggested the PML-N had secured victory in 10 of the 12 refugee constituencies and at least two of the seven territorial constituencies where the polling had concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PPP was said to have won two territorial constituencies and two refugee seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Polling was originally scheduled in nine territorial constituencies \u2014 five in Muzaffarabad district and two each in Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts \u2014 besides all 12 refugee constituencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the Election Commission deferred polling in LA-27, Muzaffarabad-I (Kutla) until Tuesday after polling staff and election material could not reach the constituency because of landslides and bad weather that blocked the Neelum Valley road and its link roads. Polling at 71 of the 174 polling stations in LA-28 Muzaffarabad-II (Lachhrat) was also postponed until Tuesday for the same reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Voting in the remaining polling stations of the constituency was held as scheduled. However, due to a delay in the arrival of polling staff and election material, polling was affected at several locations. Consequently, the Election Commission extended polling by one hour in the territorial constituencies, while polling in the refugee constituencies ended at the scheduled time of 5pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A person walks past closed shops at a market, during the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, in Muzaffarabad on August 2. \u2014 Reuters
Sporadic clashes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In parts of Muzaffarabad city, attempts were reportedly made to disrupt polling in some neighbourhoods, but voting continued in most areas. In LA-31, Muzaffa\u00adrabad-V (Khawra), clashes between workers of the PML-N and PPP were reported in Union Council Katkair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PPP alleged that one of its workers, Syed Mushtaq Shah, was killed in an attack by PML-N supporters. The PML-N rejected the allegation, claiming the man suffered a cardiac arrest following a scuffle between two groups. There was no independent confirmation of either claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PPP candidate and Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar also wrote to the AJK chief election commissioner, alleging security lapses, firing incidents, interference in polling, prevention of polling agents from entering polling stations and denial of voting rights. He also claimed there had been an attempt on his life in which Advocate Syed Mumtaz Hussain Naqvi was injured, and called for an investigation and legal action against those responsible. There was no immediate response from the Election Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clashes between workers of the two major parties, some involving the use of firearms, were also reported from different areas, though no casualties were immediately reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is the first time I am casting my vote. It\u2019s a new experience and I am excited,\u201d said Syeda Warisha, a 22-year-old student, while waiting in a queue outside the Saheli Sarkar polling station in Muzaffarabad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PML-N leads polls<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Late at night, the AJK CEC announced official results of five refugee constituencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PML-N candidates Muhammad Amir Shah (LA-41, Valley-II), Syed Shoukat Shah (LA-42, Valley-III), Mohammad Yasin Lone (LA-43, Valley-IV) and Ahmad Raza Qadri (LA-44, Valley-V) were declared successful, while PPP\u2019s Abdul Majid Khan won LA-45 (Valley-VI), where PML-N had not fielded a candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unofficial and unverified results suggested that the PPP had also won LA-40 (Valley-I) where it had fielded Amir Abdul Ghaffar Lone, while the PML-N swept all six Jammu refugee constituencies through Nasir Hussain Dar, Chaudhry Ismail, Sahibzada Ahsan Raza, Maryam Javed, Zeeshan Ali and Raja Muhammad Siddique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the territorial constituencies, unofficial results indicated that PML-N regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir was ahead with a narrow margin in LA-25 (Neelum-I), while the PPP\u2019s Mian Abdul Waheed was leading in LA-26 (Neelum-II).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In LA-29 (Muzaffarabad-III), PPP\u2019s Sardar Mukhtar Abbasi was reported to have defeated PML-N\u2019s Barrister Iftikhar Gillani by nearly 2,000 votes. PML-N candidate Raja Saqib Majeed was said to have defeated PPP\u2019s Chaudhry Latif Akbar in LA-31 (Khawra), while Dr Mustafa Bashir Abbasi of the PML-N reportedly defeated PPP\u2019s Mubashar Munir Awan in LA-30 (Muzaffarabad-IV). In LA-33 (Leepa), PPP\u2019s Deevan Ali Chughtai was reported to have defeated PML-N\u2019s Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former prime minister Raja Farooq Haider and PPP\u2019s Sahibzada Ashfaq Zaffar were in a neck-and-neck contest for LA-32 (Muzaffarabad-VI), while in LA-28 (Lachhrat), where polling could not be held at all polling stations, PML-N\u2019s Chaudhry Shahzad Mahmood was reportedly leading the race against PPP\u2019s Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Refugee seats<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kashmiris voted for their candidates vying for refugee seats at polling stations set up in Chakwal, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Sargodha, Attock, Nawabshah, Hyderabad, Mohmand, Mansehra, Quetta, Dera Ghazi Khan, Peshawar, Sanghar, and Naushahro Feroze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Polling in these areas largely remained peaceful and recorded a low turnout. In Mohmand, not a single voter turned up at a station set up for the AJK polls. In Dera Ghazi Khan, a single registered female voter cast her ballot at the Govt Elementary School in Maumori, where a polling station had been established just for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Out of 12 refugee seats, seven seats are in Punjab, one seat is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one seat (Jammu-VI) is divided between Pun\u00adjab, Islamabad, and Khyber Pakhtun\u00adkhwa, one seat is divided between Sindh and Balo\u00adchistan (Valley-I), and one seat (Jammu-I) is shared among refugees living in Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh. Valley-V seat is divided between Punjab and Islamabad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rigging allegations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In continuation of its criticism of the PML-N over the AJK polls, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari accused his ruling partner of \u201crobbing\u201d the mandate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe PML-N is robbing the votes of the people of Azad Kashmir through bullets, batons and coercion,\u201d he alleged. In a post on X, he condemned an \u201cattack\u201d on the party\u2019s regional president, Chaudhry Latif Akbar \u2014 also the candidate for LA-31 (Muzaffarabad-V). Accu\u00adsing \u201cmiscreant elements of the PML-N\u201d of being behind the incident, Bilawal said PPP worker Mushtaq Shah was killed in the same constituency. He demanded that those responsible for the attack on Akbar and the \u201cmurderers\u201d of the party worker be arrested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a separate statement, Bilawal said, \u201cThe PML-N has crossed all limits. Attacks are taking place on our voters and the president of the state (AJK).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PPP shared a complaint written to the Election Commission regar\u00adding a \u201cphysical assault\u201d on Akbar. Chaudhry Akbar also wrote two letters to the ECP about the assault and the death of the party worker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bokhari claimed that eight party workers had been injured in the ongoing elections so far. Mr Bokhari contended there was a \u201cstate of lawlessness\u201d in AJK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similar allegations were levelled by PPP leaders Nadeem Afzal Chan and Punjab MPA Hassan Murtaza in separate media talks. Mr Chan said the PPP election cell received 15 complaints, which were submitted to the AJK Election Commission. \u201cWe have provided the government with clear evidence of rigging but the PML-N has not responded to the PPP\u2019s concerns, he claimed. \u201cThe PPP cannot declare these elections free and fair,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Azma eyes victory<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier in the day, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari stated that the PML-N would secure a massive victory. Sharing videos of the peaceful polling process, the provincial minister remarked that the public, deeply impressed by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz\u2019s governance, was enthusiastically voting for the \u2018Lion\u2019 \u2013 the PML-N\u2019s electoral symbol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking a jibe at political opponents, she claimed that the \u201cwhining party\u201d was nowhere to be seen on the election day. \u201cThose who always cry foul over rigging will keep screaming, while the masses will continue to ensure the PML-N\u2019s success,\u201d she stated. Reflecting on the election campaign, Ms Bokhari noted the overwhelming public reception the party had received. She highlighted that the successful campaign of the PML-N candidates was a testament to their impending victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With input from Amjad Mahmood, Syed Irfan Raza, Hamid Asghar, Tariq Saeed Birmani, Aslam Piracha, Sajjad Niazi, Zulfiqar Memon, Saleem Shahid, Mohammad Ashfaq and Nisar Ahmad Khan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MUZAFFARABAD(National Times)- The PML-N appeared in a comfortable position to consolidate its lead over the PPP in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly after unofficial results from the AJK polls\u2019 second phase showed it ahead in most contests, including the refugee seats spread across Pakistan. By late Sunday night, the Election Commission had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n