MUZAFFARABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has emerged as winner in the general election for the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu Kashmir, but the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has rejected election results, according to private TV channels.
Besides incumbent prime minister Ch Abdul Majeed, two former prime ministers Raja Farooq Haider and Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, Sardar Khalid Ibrahim and much-focused journalist-cum politician Mushtaq Minhas have all won their seats. On the other hand, another former prime minister Barrister Sultan Mehmood, former speaker Sardar Ghulam Saddiq and Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin met an upset defeat.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will arrive in Muzaffarabad on Friday to thank Kashmiris for extending their support to his party in the general election, his spokesperson said. According to media reports, counting is underway for the 10th general elections on 41 seats of the Legislative Assembly. Voting started at 8am and continued without any break till 5pm.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal announced the first result of LA-39 Kashmir Valley IV. Asad Aleem Shah of PML-N secured 1026 votes and declared successful. Sardar Farooq Sikanadr of PML-N succeeded from LA-9 Kotli-2 with over 28 thousand votes. Raja Nisar Ahmad of PML-N succeeded from LA-12 Kotli-5 with over 16 thousand votes against Muhammad Matloob Inqilabi of PPP with over 11 thousand votes.
Analysts said that PTI had to face a major embarrassment after its president Barrister Sultan lost to a PML-N candidate in Mirpur. Sultan accused PML-N of buying votes and pre-poll rigging. Top judiciary and the chief election commissioner have ruled out possibility of rigging in the elections held on Thursday.
During visit to polling stations and at the time of casting votes, both Chief Justice of Azad Kashmir Supreme Court Justice Muhammad Azam Khan and Justice Mughal expressed satisfaction on the polling process. “There is no possibility of any kind of rigging or malpractice in this environment,” he said, about the arrangements, after casting his vote.
