MUZAFFARABAD: Local Government (LG) elections have began on Sunday in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) after 31 years with the first phase of polling being concluded in the Muzaffarab division.
The local body polls are being conducted in three phases across the state due to the non-provision of additional security personnel from the federal government.
According to details, the first phase concluded yesterday in the Muzaffarabad division from 8 am to 5 pm without any break. Phase two of the LG polls will be conducted in the Poonch division on December 3 and phase three in the Mirpur division on December 8.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in the first phase, polls were held in three districts of the Muzaffarabad division yesterday. Earlier, preparations for the elections were completed in Muzaffarabad, Neelam and Jhelum Valley districts.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has clinched victory on 21 seats followed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) grabbing 10 seats during the first phase of LG elections.
According to the unofficial and unconfirmed results of the AJK LG polls, PTI candidates won 21 seats while PPP secured victory on 10 seats. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) won eight seats in the AJK LG polls, whereas, five independent candidates were declared winners.
Muslim Conference declared victorious on one seat. After a long wait of over three decades, the first phase of the local government elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) concluded at 5:00 pm today.
The polling concluded in three districts of Muzaffarabad Division — Neelum Valley, Jhelum Valley and Muzaffarabad. The polling continued till 5 pm without any break. Strict security measures have been put in place to maintain law and order during the polling in AJK.
Of the 1,323 polling stations, 418 were declared ‘sensitive’ and 257 ‘most sensitive’, where three and five police personnel were deployed, respectively. According to officials, two policemen were deployed at other polling stations.
A total of 2716 candidates including 900 independent candidates were in the contest for 595 seats in Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley and Hattian Bala district while in second phase, polling will be conducted in four districts of Poonch Division on December 3.
The candidates included 575 from the PTI, 465 from the PML-N, 545 from the PPP, 113 from All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, 67 from TLP, 46 from JI and 900 independent candidates. – Agencies
