PM Shehbaz congratulates PML-N after party maintains lead in second phase of AJK polls
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated PML-N’s leadership and successful candidates on Monday after unofficial results of the second phase of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir showed it had won 14 out of 18 seats up for grabs, the previous day.
The PML-N’s main rival in the contest and also its ally in the Centre, the PPP, has accused the PML-N of electoral malpractices, rigging and violence during Sunday polls. The party claims that the elections were marred by widespread irregularities, including allegations of vote-buying, intimidation of voters, and clashes between candidates.
The second phase of the election was held in three phases over security concerns, with polling having been held on seven seats of Muzaffarabad division and 12 refugee seats — the reserved seats for refugees from India-occupied Kashmir — on Sunday. In the third phase, elections will be held in 11 constituencies of Poonch division.
Elections in AJK are being held in three phases over security concerns, with polling having been held on seven seats of Muzaffarabad division and 12 refugee seats — the reserved seats for refugees from India-occupied Kashmir — on Sunday. In the third phase, elections will be held in 11 constituencies of Poonch division.
According to official reports, the unofficial results showed that the PML-N had won 14 out of 18 seats up for grabs, while the PPP secured four seats. The party’s leader, Rana Sanaullah, claimed that his party had gained a “government-forming number” and demanded that the PPP must tell them how they managed to secure three seats.
The results reflect people’s confidence in PML-N’s policies, according to PM Shehbaz Sharif, who noted that Nawaz Sharif and the entire PML-N team conducted a successful electoral campaign in AJK. He added that political parties had actively participated in the second phase of the election, which he said would further strengthen the democratic process.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that polling was postponed until Tuesday in LA-27 Muzaffarabad-I (Kutla) and at 71 out of the 174 polling stations in LA-28 Muzaffarabad-II (Lachhrat) due to landslides and bad weather.
Based on reporting from Dawn.
