Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah announced on Monday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has achieved a simple majority in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) by winning 23 out of 45 seats, positioning the party to form the new government.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam, Sanaullah highlighted that the PML-N secured victory in 13 constituencies during the second phase of the AJK elections, including four of the seven seats in the Muzaffarabad division. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) managed to win three seats in this phase.
He further noted that the PML-N dominated the refugee seats, capturing 10 out of 12, while the PPP won the remaining two. Voting in constituency LA-27 was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions, with elections scheduled for Tuesday at 54 polling stations across LA-27 and LA-28.
In a significant development, Sanaullah stated that the PML-N’s parliamentary party is set to convene immediately following the third phase of elections on August 10 to deliberate on forming the government.
The second phase of elections, held on Sunday in the Muzaffarabad division, saw the PML-N emerge as the leading party by winning 13 of the 18 declared constituencies based on unofficial results. The PPP, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, secured five seats, placing it second in the race.
However, the electoral process was marred by allegations of irregularities and violence. The PPP accused its leaders of being attacked, with reports of at least one party worker killed during the election period. On Sunday, PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf condemned the election process, labeling the mandate as “fake” and accusing the PML-N of fostering instability. He declared the elections neither free nor fair and vowed not to accept the results.
During Monday’s press conference, Sanaullah countered these claims by accusing the PPP of collaborating with the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to disrupt the electoral process in AJK. He asserted that the PPP began making rigging allegations immediately after polling commenced, particularly after its poor performance in the first phase.
Sanaullah explained that the PPP initially raised concerns about rigging in 13 constituencies, which were subsequently reduced to four and then two after requests for evidence. He emphasized that the PML-N even offered to conduct a forensic audit of the polling stations where rigging was alleged. him, the elections were conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner throughout the voting day.
Additionally, Sanaullah accused the PPP of attempting to interfere in the constituency of PPP candidate and AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, including efforts to deploy Sindh police there.
