PTI leading the race as unofficial results of AJK local govt elections pour in

MUZAFFARABAD – Unofficial results show the PTI leading the race in the first phase of the local government elections, which were held held in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday after a lapse of three decades.

According to a tweet by the PTI’s official Twitter handle, it had secured 34 of the UC seats, followed by the PPP with 23, PML-N with nine, independent candidates with four and Muslim Conference with three.

The people of AJK showed their trust in Kaptaan once again! One vs all and Imran Khan wins again! #کشمیر_کپتان_کا pic.twitter.com/IJe0fsOlxI

— PTI (@PTIofficial) November 27, 2022

According to unofficial results, the PTI bagged six union council seats in Hattian Bala’s Jhelum Valley out of a total of 18. The PML-N managed to grab three seats followed by the PPP with two.

Similarly, in Neelum Valley, the PTI took the lead, winning eight UC seats, as per unofficial results. The PML-N grabbed three seats in Neelum Valley while the PPP managed to bag two. Two independent candidates also won there.

However, the PML-N was ahead in the race for the Muzaffarabad Municipal Corporation wards. Of the unofficial results of 29 of the 36 wards of the Muzaffarabad Municipal Corporation, the PML-N managed to secure 12 of them. It was followed by the PTI and PPP, both bagging six wards each.

Independent candidates won five wards while the Muslim Conference could only secure one.

As per reports, exchange of fire between two parties at two polling stations left many injured, including a woman.

The local body polls in AJK are being conducted in three phases across the state due to non-provision of additional security personnel from the federal government.

The polling started from 8am and concluded at to 5pm without any break.

At least 2,725 candidates are contesting for 614 local body seats including 31 women. Around 19 candidates have already been elected as councilors unopposed.

On the directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the administration had established 1,223 polling stations which include 397 for males, 387 for females and 530 joint stations.

575 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidates, 465 from the Pakistan Muslim League (N), 545 from the Pakistan Peoples Party, 113 from All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, 67 from TLP, 46 from JI while 900 independent candidates are contesting.

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Authorities have deployed security personnel to all polling stations to avoid any untoward incident amid the polling process.

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.