The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) revealed its list of candidates on Sunday for the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for July 27. The party has nominated representatives across various constituencies, including Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli, Bagh, Poonch, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, and refugee seats.
This announcement arrives as political parties ramp up their preparations for the AJK polls, which are anticipated to be fiercely contested primarily among the PPP, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In the Mirpur division, PPP candidates include Asfar Shahid for LA-1 Mirpur-1, Qasim Majeed for LA-2 Mirpur-2 (Chakswari), Yasar Sultan for LA-3 Mirpur-3 (Mirpur City), Chaudhry Sohaib Arshad for LA-4 Mirpur-4 (Khari Sharif), and Chaudhry Pervez Ashraf for LA-5 Bhimber-1 (Barnala).
For Kotli district, the party selected Malik Zafar for LA-8 Kotli-1 (Raj Mahal), Javed Iqbal Bhadhanvi for LA-9 Kotli-2 (Nakyal), senior leader Chaudhry Yasin for both LA-10 Kotli-3 (Kotli) and LA-12 Kotli-5 (Charhoi), along with Chaudhry Akhlaq for LA-11 Kotli-4 (Sehensa).
In the Bagh and Poonch divisions, nominees include Sardar Qamar Zaman for LA-16 Bagh-3 (Eastern Bagh), Faisal Mumtaz Rathore for LA-17 Bagh-4 (Haveli), Sardar Amjad Yousaf for LA-18 Sudhnoti-Poonch-1, Sardar Saud Sadiq for LA-19 Sudhnoti-Poonch-2 (Hajira), former AJK Prime Minister Sardar Yaqoob Khan for LA-20 Sudhnoti-Poonch-3 (Khaigala), Sardar Muhammad Abid Khan for LA-21 Sudhnoti-Poonch-4 (Rawalakot City), and Sardar Faheem Akhtar Rabbani for LA-24 Sudhnoti-Poonch-7 (Baloch).
In Muzaffarabad division, the party put forward Mian Abdul Waheed for LA-26 Neelum Valley-2 (Lower Neelum), Sardar Javed Ayub for LA-27 Muzaffarabad-1 (Katla), Syed Bazil Naqvi for LA-28 Muzaffarabad-2, Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Khan for LA-29 Muzaffarabad-3 (Muzaffarabad City), Mubashir Munir Awan for LA-30 Muzaffarabad-4 (Hattian Dupatta), Ashfaq Zafar for LA-32 Muzaffarabad-6 (Chikar), and Dewan Ali Chughtai for LA-33 Muzaffarabad-7 (Leepa).
Additionally, the PPP finalized its candidates for the refugee constituencies. Retired Colonel Qadeer Chaudhry will contest LA-34 Jammu-1, Chaudhry Asif Gujar for LA-35 Jammu-2 (Gujranwala), Chaudhry Ahsan Ismail Gujar for LA-36 Jammu-3 (Sialkot), Shaheen Kausar Dar for LA-37 Jammu-4 (Narowal-Shakargarh), Raja Shahid Iqbal Advocate for LA-38 Jammu-5 (Gujrat-Wazirabad), Chaudhry Fakhar Zaman for LA-39 Jammu-6 (Jhelum-Rawalpindi-Attock), Ameer Abdul Ghaffar Lone for LA-40 Valley-1 (Karachi), Ghulam Abbas Mir for LA-41 Valley-2 (Lahore), Javed Butt for LA-43 Valley-4 (Rawalpindi), Muhammad Rashid Islam Butt for LA-44 Valley-5 (Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Attock), and Abdul Majeed Khan for LA-45 Valley-6 (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).
The AJK Legislative Assembly consists of 53 members, including 45 elected directly and eight seats reserved for women, technocrats, and religious scholars. The election campaign has gained momentum following a June 23 AJK High Court ruling that restored PTI’s registration and ordered the Election Commission to reassign the party’s ‘bat’ electoral symbol. This decision reversed an earlier ruling that had removed PTI’s registration and symbol, allowing its candidates to participate under the party banner.
In a significant development, the July 27 elections will determine the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with the PPP, PML-N, and PTI expected to be the main competitors vying for power.
