Daily Times

PTI AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood and billionaire real estate tycoon Sardar Tanveer Ilyas are in the race to get the coveted post of prime minister as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) clinched majority by securing 25 out of 44 seats in the AJK elections.

Barrister Mahmood has won the AJK Legislative Assembly seat from his parent Mirpur LA-3 constituency by defeating his nearest rival Ch Muhammad Saeed of PML-N by 3,147 votes, while Sardar Tanveer emerged victorious from his Bagh constituency.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) obtained 11 seats and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) got only six seats in AJK elections. Two seats, one each, were grabbed by regional parties Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party (JK-PP) and Muslim Conference (MC).

Addressing a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (r) Abdul Rasheed Sulehria announced the election results, accompanies by Election Commission Member Farhat Ali Mir. He said the results of 44 seats out of 45 were announced by the commission as provided by the returning officers (ROs) concerned while result of LA-16 Bagh III was upheld by the commission as the RO reported that polling on four polling stations was not conducted due to clash between the rival groups.

Sulehria, expressing satisfaction over the fairness and successful conduct of the polling process, revealed that the turnout was recorded at 62 percent which was very good but it was three percent lower than the last general elections held in 2016 in the region. He said he did not receive even a single complaint by any candidate or about any irregularity or rigging in the poll.

He said polling at remaining four polling stations of LA-16 Bagh III, would be conducted before July 29. He said the schedule for election on eight reserved seats would be announced after the announcement of result of one remaining seat. After completion of the House, the president would summon the legislative assembly for oath taking of newly elected members and formation of government afterward, he added.

According to the election commission data, the PTI emerged as the largest party in term of secured votes of 613,590 (32%), followed by PML-N with 491,091 (25%) votes and PPP 349,095 (18%) votes, but in terms of seats, the PPP stood as the second largest party by securing 11 seats.