Race heats up for three AJK seats

RAWALPINDI:

The electoral contest for the three refugee constituencies of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, representing Kashmiri refugees residing in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad as well as across Rawalpindi Division, has formally commenced.

A total of 58 candidates have entered the race for the three constituencies by submitting their nomination papers to the respective Returning Officers (ROs).

Several aspirants have also filed nomination papers in more than one constituency. Candidates representing major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Jamaat-e-Islami, are among the contenders, alongside a number of independent candidates.

In a notable development, four women candidates have entered the electoral arena and will directly contest against male candidates, reflecting growing female participation in the electoral process.

According to election officials, 23 candidates have filed nomination papers for LA-43 (Valley-IV), 16 candidates for LA-44 (Valley-V), and 19 candidates for Jammu-VI. The scrutiny of nomination papers has commenced under the supervision of the respective Returning Officers.