PTI, PPP take lead in first round of AJK local polls

ISLAMABAD:THE Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) took the lead in the first phase of the local elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and secured 94 seats each, while the Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) bagged 85 seats of the 454 seats.

However, independent candidates won 157 seats. The AJK election commission announced the official results of 454 seats in district and union councils, municipal corporations, municipal commitees, and town commitees out of 669 seats.

According to the results, the All Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conference (MC) secured 22 seats of the total, while the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP) could secure only one seat in the first phase of the elections.

Of 74 district council seats, results of 53 were announced, and PTI won 17, followed by 16 independents, while PPP secured nine, PMLN seven, Muslim Conference three and JKPP secured one seat.

Of a total of 535 seats in the union council, the results of 349 were announced, and independents won the majority, securing 131 seats, followed by the PPP, which obtained 75 seats, while PTI got 65, PML-N 60, MC 17, and Tehreeke-labbaik secured one seat.

The PML-N won the capital’s Municipal Corporation with 12 seats out of 36, followed by the PTI eight, the PPP and independents seven each, and the MC two seats.

Of the 10 municipal commitees, results of seven were announced of which three were won by the PPP, while PTI and PML-N managed to bag two seats each. Of 14 seats in four town commitees, the results of nine seats were announced. The PML-N won four of them, followed by independents three and PTI two.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan appreciated the peaceful conduct of the first phase of local polls in AJK, Muzaffarabad Division, terming it a victory for democracy. “I appreciate office bearers and workers of all the political parties who have played an important role in advancing politics and democracy.”

Lauding political leadership for demonstrating maturity, the prime minister said that despite less security, the poll process remained peaceful.

“It demonstrates the people and political leadership’s high level of political consciousness on the one hand, and the state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s quality administration, capacity, and capability on the other,” he said.

While congratulating the victorious candidates of his ruling party, the prime minister said: “I congratulate the lion-hearted workers of Tehrik-e-insaf for running a successful campaign during the local body elections.”