AJK polls' second phase ends amid PPP claims of rigging

• PPP alleges 'widespread rigging'.
• Bilawal condemns ‘killing’ of PPP worker.
• PML-N rejects PPP rigging claims.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) retained its lead in the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections on Sunday, winning 11 of the 15 constituencies so far declared in unofficial and provisional results, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) increased its tally to four after securing another seat in Muzaffarabad.

The latest unofficial and provisional results showed PPP candidate Diwan Ali Khan Qamar Chughtai won the LA-33 Muzaffarabad-7 constituency after votes from all 155 polling stations were counted.

Chughtai secured 25,469 votes, defeating PML-N candidate Mian Muhammad Rashid, who polled 21,175 votes.

The victory raised the PPP's tally to four seats, while the PML-N continued to lead the declared results with 11 constituencies.

Earlier, the PML-N strengthened its position after Shah Ghulam Qadir won the LA-25 Neelum Valley-1 constituency with 18,925 votes, defeating PPP candidate Mian Abdul Waheed, who secured 13,596 votes.

The PPP had also picked up the LA-40 Kashmir Valley-1 seat, where Aamir Abdul Ghaffar received 2,914 votes to defeat the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party's Muhammad Saleem Butt, who secured 136 votes.

The PML-N had previously increased its tally to 10 seats after Raja Muhammad Siddique won the LA-39 Jammu-6 constituency with 10,981 votes, defeating PPP candidate Chaudhry Fakhar Zaman, who received 5,081 votes.

With results now declared in 15 of the 20 constituencies contested in the second phase, the PML-N remains the frontrunner with 11 seats, while the PPP has secured four.

Polling for the second phase concluded on Sunday after authorities extended voting by one hour, from the scheduled 5pm closing time to 6pm, across nine constituencies in the Muzaffarabad division to facilitate voters.

Similar to the first phase, the PPP alleged that the latest round of polling was marred by rigging.

The AJK Election Commission said in a statement that the decision was taken in view of the large number of voters arriving at polling stations and to facilitate them in exercising their right to vote.

Voting took place in nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division — five in Muzaffarabad district, two in Jhelum Valley, and two in Neelum — with 207 candidates contesting.

Simultaneously, polling was held in all 12 refugee constituencies, including six seats reserved for refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six for refugees from the Jammu region. A total of 137 candidates are in the race for these refugee seats.

Bilawal being 'misled'

PML-N leaders rejected allegations of rigging and claims that Azad Kashmir President Chaudhry Latif Akbar and MNA Salahuddin Junejo had come under attack during the AJK elections.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said a democratic party had started alleging rigging from around 10:30am despite the polling process continuing. He claimed PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had been given incorrect information and was being misled into making false statements.

Sanaullah said only three incidents were reported during polling across Azad Kashmir. Referring to one of them, he said Latif Akbar had gone to cast his vote at his polling station, where he had a dispute with members of the Sadat family.

He said an altercation took place there, adding that whether someone threw a punch or shots were fired, "we are responsible", but claimed the dispute was later portrayed as an attack on the AJK president.

Referring to another incident in LA-31, Sanaullah said MNA Salahuddin Junejo, accompanied by Sindh Police personnel, entered a polling station in Khawra.

He alleged that Junejo's gunmen opened fire after he entered a third polling station and claimed there was also firing from the other side. Rana said reports suggested the MNA had sustained a bullet injury, but added that this had not been confirmed.

Questioning Junejo's presence at the polling station, Rana urged Bilawal to ask the MNA why he had gone there.

'Fake' mandate

PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf rejected the AJK election process, alleging that the mandate was "fake" and accusing the PML-N of pushing the situation towards further instability.

Addressing a press conference, Raja said elections that were neither free, fair nor impartial would not be accepted. He said political workers knew where they had genuinely lost, but alleged that the PPP had been treated unfairly.

Questioning the conduct of the polls, he asked whether such elections befitted the PML-N despite the two parties being allies. He alleged that the Election Commission had failed to act on a single complaint over the past five years and claimed it was operating under the influence of the PPP's rival party.

Raja further alleged that acting AJK President Chaudhry Latif Akbar was assaulted by PML-N supporters, who abused and physically attacked him. Referring to the killing of a PPP worker in Khawra, he questioned descriptions of the incident as merely an altercation, asking whether the killing of a 70-year-old man with sticks could not be considered murder.

He also claimed that polling did not take place in one Kotli constituency because election materials had not reached the area, questioning whether such material should have been delivered on polling day rather than in advance. Raja further alleged that polling was also suspended at several polling stations in Bazil Naqvi's constituency.

Calling the PPP's objections to the electoral process "serious", Raja held the Chief Election Commissioner responsible for the situation.

Separately, PPP Chairman Bilawal condemned the killing of party worker Mushtaq Shah in LA-31 and expressed condolences to his family.

He said that the attack on Akbar, followed by the killing of the PPP worker, exposed "the intentions of the PML-N".