AJK elections: Polling for LA-30, LA-36 seats ends

Vote count underway. MQM candidate accuses PML-N of rigging.

KARACHI: Vote count for two Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly seats, LA-30 and LA-36, is currently underway in different cities across Pakistan, Express 24/7 reported on Wednesday.

A total number of 70,000 voters were expected cast their votes for the LA-30 seat at 200 polling stations set up in 43 districts of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan.

Over 6,000 voters were to participate in polls for the LA-36 seat at 34 polling stations set up in Sindh and Balochistan.

Tahir Khokhar of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Mirza Abdul Rasheed Jarral of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) are among major contestants for the LA-30 seat.

MQM’s Mohammad Saleem Butt and several independent candidates are contesting from the LA-36 constituency.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had earlier announced the withdrawal of its candidates from contesting elections for the two seats.

MQM candidate Tahir Khokhar had accused the PML-N of rigging the polls in LA-30 constituency in Lahore. He said voters at some polling booths were casting their votes without a National Identity Card (NIC).

Election Commission sources have said they have not received any information from the MQM candidate.

There were reports of scuffles and clashes between party workers at Pir Makki, Chungi Amar Sidhu and Apwa polling stations in Lahore.

The elections had been postponed in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi.

Following the postponement of the elections, the MQM parted ways with the government and decided to sit on the opposition benches.

MQM’s provincial governor, provincial and federal ministers tendered their resignations but the PPP persuaded its coalition partner to bring the governor back to his post.