ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Monday claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has secured a simple majority in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, paving the way for the party to form the next government.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam, Sanaullah said the PML-N had won 23 of the 45 assembly seats, giving it enough numbers to establish the government.
PML-N wins 23 seats, says Sanaullah
According to Sanaullah, the PML-N secured victory on 13 seats in the second phase of the AJK elections, including four of the seven constituencies in Muzaffarabad, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won three seats.
He added that the PML-N also captured 10 of the 12 refugee seats, with the PPP winning the remaining two.
Sanaullah said polling in LA-27 was postponed due to adverse weather conditions, while voting at 54 polling stations in LA-27 and LA-28 will take place on Tuesday.
He further announced that the PML-N parliamentary party will meet after the third phase of elections on August 10 to discuss the formation of the new AJK government.
PPP rejects election results
The second phase of the AJK elections was held on Sunday across the Muzaffarabad division, where, according to unofficial and provisional results, the PML-N emerged as the leading party by winning 13 of the 18 declared constituencies.
The PPP secured five seats in the second phase.
However, the elections were marred by allegations of irregularities and incidents of violence. The PPP claimed that its leaders were attacked and that one party worker was killed during election-related unrest.
PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf rejected the election process, alleging that the mandate was “fake” and insisting that the polls were neither free nor fair.
Bilawal vows to reclaim all PPP’s seats in AJK through legal means
Sanaullah rejects rigging allegations
Responding to the allegations, Sanaullah accused the PPP of collaborating with the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in an attempt to disrupt the electoral process.
He claimed the PPP began alleging rigging shortly after polling commenced because of its poor performance in the first phase of the elections.
According to Sanaullah, the PPP initially raised objections regarding 13 constituencies but later reduced its complaints to four and eventually two after being asked to present evidence.
“We even offered to conduct a forensic audit of the polling stations where rigging was alleged,” he said, maintaining that polling remained free, fair and transparent throughout the election.
He also alleged that efforts were made to influence the constituency of PPP candidate and AJK Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, including attempts to deploy Sindh Police personnel in the area.
