PPP to decide stance on AJK reserved seats today

LAHORE:

The PPP will announce its position on elections to reserved seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly today (Monday), while the PML-N has reportedly finalised its candidates for the seats.

The AJK Election Commission has announced the schedule for elections to all eight reserved seats despite polling on seven of the Assembly's 45 general seats still pending.

Qamar Zaman Kaira, a member of the PPP parliamentary committee for AJK, said on Sunday that the AJKEC has announced the schedule and that the party will determine its position after examining the relevant law.

He said AJK election rules do not bar elections to reserved seats even if polling on some general seats has yet to take place. Kaira said the party leadership would announce its candidates within a day or two. He said he was unaware when interviews of the aspirants would be conducted.

PPP AJK President Chaudhary Muhammad Riaz, also a member of the party's parliamentary board for AJK, initially said the candidates had almost been finalised. He later retracted the statement, saying he was not fully aware of the matter.

The PML-N has reportedly finalised its candidates, who are expected to be announced by the party leadership on Monday or Tuesday.

The AJKEC's announcement coincided with meetings held by the PML-N leadership in Murree regarding formation of the next AJK government and allocation of reserved seats.

According to reports, the names of Sehrish Qamar, Maryam Kashmiri, Nasira Khan and Nasara Abbassi are among those under consideration by the PML-N. According to a notification issued on Sunday by Raja Muhammad Shakeel Khan, AJKEC secretary, elections will be held for all eight reserved seats.