AJK elections: PPP, PML-N candidates retain lead in Bagh after repolling

MUZAFFARABAD: Sardar Ziaul Qamar of the PPP and Sardar Mir Akbar of the PML-N retained the lead in their respective constituencies in Bagh, after results were received from all 23 polling stations where repolling was held on Saturday. According to unofficial and unverified results, Qamar defeated the PML-N’s Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas in LA-15 (Central Bagh) by 1,891 votes. He secured 17,118 votes against Minhas’s 15,227. Repolling was held at nine polling stations in the constituency. It was the third consecutive defeat for Minhas in the constituency, who had entered electoral politics in 2016 under the banner of the PML-N, won that election and served as a minister during the following five years. Qamar, meanwhile, secured his second consecutive victory after winning the 2023 by-election. In LA-16 (Eastern Bagh), the PML-N’s Akbar defeated the PPP’s Sardar Qamaruz Zaman by 3,833 votes, securing 20,796 votes against his rival’s 16,963. Repolling was held at 14 polling stations in the constituency. Akbar has won four elections previously, making Saturday’s victory his fifth overall and third consecutive win. According to local journalists, Akbar’s sustained presence in his constituency, where he regularly attends celebrations, is believed to have contributed to his popularity. Constituents said he was known for attending even occasions marking the death of villagers’ livestock. Turnout remained low in both constituencies, according to witnesses, with voters at some polling stations “voluntarily” opting not to cast their ballots. Polling was, however, held peacefully, with adequate security arrangements for polling staff and voters. Polling officials described the conduct of voters towards them and security personnel as cordial. “Though no voters showed up [at some polling stations], the attitude and cooperation of local notables with polling staff and security forces was exemplary, including arrangements for their accommodation and meals,” said a presiding officer in LA-15. The repolling results took the PML-N’s tally to 25 seats and the PPP’s to 12 in the AJK Legislative Assembly. Sajid Iqbal Abbasi, who won LA-14 (Dhirkot) against Muslim Conference president and former AJK premier Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan by a large margin, also reportedly decided to support the PML-N. Monday results In the third phase of polling on Monday, PPP’s Qamar secured 16,637 votes in LA-15 (Bagh Central), followed by PML-N’s Minhas with 15,015 and Jamaat-i-Islami’s retired Brig Dr Muhammad Khan with 12,259. But as polling could not be held at nine stations in the constituency, the commission withheld the result. Similarly, the result of LA-16 (Eastern Bagh) was also withheld after polling could not be held at 14 stations, which have a combined 7,238 registered voters. Results from the remaining polling stations showed that PML-N’s Akbar, who secured 19,515 votes, was leading his closest rival, PPP’s Zaman, by 3,225 votes. In both constituencies, all five candidates had accused their opponents of rigging. Rathore notified as returned candidate from LA-17 Meanwhile, the AJK Election Commission notified AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore as the returned candidate from LA-17. The notification was issued late on Friday and was provided to the media on Saturday. LA-17 (Haveli), where Rathore was contesting from, emerged as the most contentious constituency during the third phase of the polls on Monday. The election was thrown into fresh controversy on Wednesday after the returning officer issued the Form 27 declaring him the winner despite an assurance, according to his PML-N rival Engr Mohsin Aziz, that the result would not be announced until his complaint was taken up by the Election Commission. Aziz subsequently challenged the election, with the AJK Chief Election Co­­mmissioner (CEC) retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal on Thursday reserving his decision after hearing arguments from both sides. On Saturday, the Election Commission said that it would announce the verdict on the petitions at 5pm. AJK polls The PML-N bagged 24 seats — nine from Mirpur division in the first phase on July 27 and 15 in the second phase on Aug 2 comprising Muzaffarabad Division and the 12 refugee seats. The PPP, on the other hand, won only 10 constituencies during these phases. The polls are being held in phases amid unrest in the region. The third phase, held on Monday, was originally meant to cover all of Poonch Division, which comprises 11 constituencies, including three in Bagh, one in Haveli, five in Poonch district and two in Sudhnoti district. However, the AJK Election Commission announced that polling would only go ahead as scheduled in Bagh and Haveli because of concerns over the law and order situation. On Monday, polls went ahead in Bagh and Haveli, but the Election Commission later withheld the results of two constituencies pending repolling at 23 polling stations. It announced the result for LA-14 (Bagh-I), commonly known as Dhirkot, where Jammu Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party candidate Sajid Iqbal Abbasi secured a landslide victory with 40,522 votes.