The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has secured five of the seven reserved seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Monday, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has won two as the incoming house took shape after phased elections.
PML-N’s Chaudhry Abdul Rehman Arain was elected unopposed to the seat reserved for Jammu and Kashmir State subjects living abroad, being the only candidate to submit nomination papers.
The party also won three women’s seats through Sehrish Qamar, Maryam Idrees and Maryam Zaman, also known as Maryam Kashmiri. Each secured seven votes. PPP’s Farzana Yaqoob also received seven votes to win another women’s seat.
The final women’s seat was decided by drawing lots after PML-N’s Riffat Abid and PPP’s Zobia Khurshid Raja each received five votes, with Raja declared the winner.
PML-N also took the seats reserved for religious scholars and spiritual figures, and for technocrats and professionals.
Mohammad Mazhar Saeed defeated PPP’s Hafiz Tariq Mahmood by 26 votes to 12, while Barrister Syed Iftikhar Gillani secured 26 votes against PPP’s Sahibzada Zulfiqar Ali, who received 12.
Under Article 22(1) of the AJK Constitution, the 53-member assembly comprises 45 directly elected members and eight members chosen by those elected representatives.
The reserved category includes five seats for women and one each for Ulema-i-Din or Mashaikh, overseas state subjects, and technocrats and other professionals.
Only 38 of the 45 directly elected members participated in Monday’s reserved-seat voting. Polling in seven constituencies — five in Poonch district and two in Sudhnoti — was postponed due to law and order concerns.
AJK elections, initially scheduled for July 27, were held in three phases on July 27, August 2 and August 10 amid security concerns.
The PML-N has won 25 of the 38 direct seats so far, while PPP has secured 12. An Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party member has also joined the PML-N.
The PPP has alleged widespread rigging and questioned the transparency of the electoral process.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the party will not pursue a genuine alliance with the PML-N until its concerns over the AJK elections and outstanding political commitments were addressed.
The incoming assembly was due to hold its inaugural session at 2pm on Monday, with newly elected members expected to take oath from outgoing Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar.
