Voting for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections will take place tomorrow (Sunday). The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission has made all arrangements to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
The main contest in these elections is between the ruling PML-N, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan People’s Party candidates, while the Muslim Conference, Jamaat-e-Islami and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Party have also fielded their candidates.
The total number of constituencies of the Legislative Assembly in Azad Jammu and Kashmir is 53. Out of the constituencies in which voting will take place, 33 constituencies are in Azad Kashmir while Kashmiri refugees have 12 seats in all the four provinces of Pakistan.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the number of voters in the elections is more than 3.2 million. Polling stations have been divided into A, B and C categories. There are 829 highly sensitive polling stations in category A while there are more than 1200 sensitive polling stations in category B.
According to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission, the number of male voters is more than 1.7 million while the number of female voters is more than 1.4 million. Under the 13th amendment of 2018, 12 seats of refugees have been given constitutional protection.
Meanwhile, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Abdul Rashid Suhlaria has said that under the new law, ROs are required to declare results at polling stations and provide certified copies to polling agents on WhatsApp.
Azad Jammu Kashmir Election: The Five Major Constituencies To Watch
As the AJK elections are coming near, the political activities are increasing in the region, there are 45 general constituencies of the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir that are up for grab when voters head to the polls.
Whereas, all three major political parties of Pakistan including the ruling PTI, PPP, and PML-N are in to win the AJK elections.
The last time AJK conducted a general election was in 2016 when the center-ruling PML-N formed government.
Let’s see who will be the new governing body of AJK? While the final results will be revealed on Sunday, political pundits and specialists are maintaining a close eye on these five major constituencies:
LA-3 Mirpur
Contestants: PTI’s Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary vs PML-N’s Chaudhary Muhammad Saeed
Background: In 2016 Saeed defeated Chaudhry from this constituency with just 3,000 votes. But later Saeed was declared ineligible by a court and by-elections had to be held. In the by-polls, Chaudhry won and was elected a member of the legislative assembly.
On Sunday, the two arch-rivals, Saeed and Chaudhry will compete against each other.
Problems of the constituency: Building of Rathoa Haryam Bridge in Mirpur, clean drinking water and electricity problems.
LA 7 Bhimber
Contestants: PTI’s Chaudhary Anwar ul Haq vs PML-N’s Chaudhary Tariq Farooq
Background: Former speaker, Anwar ul Haq, who recently joined PTI is up against senior minister Tariq Farooq, who has emerged successfully from this constituency thrice. In 2016, Farooq trounced Haq with over 2,000 votes. At that time Haq was an independent candidate.
Problems of the constituency: Joblessness, clean drinking water, no gas, no proper health resources.
LA 10 Kotli
Contestants: PPP’s Muhammad Yasin vs Muslim Conference’s Farooq Sikandar vs PTI’s Malik Muhammad Yousaf
Background: This is a city constituency, where former senior minister and leader of opposition Muhammad Yasin is contesting for the first time. He is also a candidate from his home constituency. His main rival is former prime minister and president Farooq Sikander Hayat’s son, Farooq Sikandar, who was elected as MNA from this constituency in 2016 on a PMLN ticket.
Meanwhile, Yousaf has formerly contested on a PMLN ticket twice and has now switched to PTI.
Problems of the constituency: clean drinking water, no proper sewage system, unemployment
LA 14 Bagh
Contestants: Former prime minister and head of the Muslim Conference’s Sardar Ateeq Ahmed Khan, vs PTI’s Major Lateef Khaleeq
Background: Khaleeq was previously in the Jamaat-e-Islami. This constituency is considered a winning constituency for the Muslim Conference, as in 2016, Ahmed Khan won with over 30,000 votes while Khaleeq came in third.
Problems of the constituency: The biggest problem is clean water, since the district is in a mountainous area, there are no natural springs. More than 100 schools are operating without proper construction, and the roads are in an inadequate situation.
LA 15 Bagh
Contestants: PTI’s Tanveer Ilyas vs PML-N’s Mushtaq Minhas vs Muslim Conference’s Raja Yaseen
Background: Ilyas is contesting for the first time, but he is backed by a powerful and notable group of the PTI. He is also being named as a possible candidate for prime minister of AJK. Another advantage to Ilyas has been the resignation of JI’s Abdul Rashid Turabi in favor of Ilyas.
Minhas is a former journalist and Yaseen was formerly a senior minister in the assembly.
Problems of the constituency: Roads are decrepit, major load shedding problem, lack of schooling and health facilities, joblessness
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