PML-N outpaces PPP in Mirpur elections

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the dominant party in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, securing nine of the 13 seats in Mirpur Division, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won the remaining four seats.

According to the final results of Monday's polls, released by the Election Commission on Tuesday, PML-N candidate Azhar Sadiq won the LA-1 Dadyal seat with 15,427 votes, defeating PPP's Afsar Shahid, who secured 9,832 votes.

In LA-2 Mirpur-Chaksawari, PPP's Qasim Majeed was elected with 13,378 votes, while PML-N's Azeem Bakhsh received 8,399 votes. The PPP also retained the important LA-3 Mirpur City seat, where Chaudhry Yasir Sultan won with 12,588 votes against PML-N's Chaudhry Saeed, who secured 11,076 votes.

In LA-4 Khari Sharif, Mirpur, PML-N's Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmad won with 22,370 votes, against PPP's Sohaib Arshad, who received 15,844 votes. In LA-5 Bhimber-Barnala, PML-N's Waqar Ahmad Noor won a nail-biting contest with 30,259 votes, narrowly defeating PPP's Parvez Ashraf, who secured 29,574 votes.

In LA-6 Samahni, PML-N's Chaudhry Muhammad Razzaq won with 32,039 votes, defeating Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) candidate Ali Shan Soni, who received 25,992 votes. In LA-7 Bhimber City, PML-N's Tariq Farooq defeated former prime minister Anwarul Haq, securing 38,340 votes against Haq's 15,934.

In LA-8 Kotli-I Raj Mahal, PPP's Malik Zafar Iqbal won the constituency with 19,535 votes, defeating PML-N's Malik Nawaz, who received 11,986 votes. In LA-9 Kotli-II Nakyal, PML-N's Umair Naeem secured victory with 30,360 votes, defeating PPP's Javed Budhanvi, who obtained 28,309 votes.

In LA-10 Kotli-III City, PPP AJK President Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin retained the seat with 12,358 votes, defeating PML-N's Fateh Mahmood, who secured 9,114 votes. In LA-11 Kotli-IV Sehensa, PML-N candidate Raja Asif won with 26,890 votes, defeating PPP's Chaudhry Akhlaq, who received 21,751 votes.

In LA-12 Kotli-V Charhoi, PML-N's Raja Riasat Ali Khan secured 35,168 votes, defeating PPP's Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, who polled 30,320 votes. In LA-13 Kotli-VI Khoirata, PML-N's Ayaz Nisar won with 21,707 votes, defeating IPP's Nisar Ansar Abdali, who secured 16,101 votes.

Monday's polling witnessed close contests in several constituencies, while isolated incidents of violence marred the electoral process. Overall voter turnout remained between 40 and 50%, although some constituencies reportedly recorded turnout as high as 90 to 100%.

The voting was overshadowed by violence in Nakyal, where clashes between supporters of the PML-N and the PPP left one PPP worker dead, triggering tension in the area. In Bhimber, unidentified miscreants snatched a ballot box from the Darbar Baba Shadi Shaheed polling station and later set it on fire.

The district returning officer in Bhimber said the destroyed ballot box contained more than 230 ballot papers. The Election Commission said it would decide later whether fresh polling would be required at the affected polling station.

Separately, supporters of IPP candidate Ali Shan Soni in Samahni were accused of attempting to remove a ballot box. Following the announcement of the results, police took Ali Shan Soni and his son into protective custody to maintain law and order.

AJK Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal congratulated the people of Mirpur Division for participating in the electoral process. He also praised political parties for mobilising voters and encouraging public participation.

The chief election commissioner expressed hope that the second phase of polling in Muzaffarabad on August 2 would also be peaceful, transparent and witness a good turnout. The third phase of the elections will be held in Poonch Division.