Poonch Division’s LG polls: PTI tops, PML-N bags second, PPP remains at third position

ISLAMABAD, Dec 04, (SABAH): In the local government polls in the four districts of Poonch Division of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tops the electoral race, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) remains at second position while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) bags third position.

The local bodies’ elections were conducted in four districts of Poonch Division including Bagh, Palandari, Haveli and Rawlakot. Contest among 2039 nominated candidates (total 3,850) including eight women took part on 787 wards of the 88 union councils, four district councils, two municipal corporations, municipal committee and five town committees.

It is worth mentioning here that 12 candidates had already been elected unopposed.

According to the results issued by the AJK Election Commission, PTI bagged 137 out of total 797 seats, PML-N AJK 131, PPP AJK 115, Muslim Conference 29, Jammu and Kashmir People’s Party 28, Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Jammu and Kashmir seven, Tehreek-e-Labaik also seven, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Jammu and Kashmir four and independent candidates obtained 239 seats.

In the second phase of LG polls on Saturday, over 1.16 million citizens voted in all four districts of the Poonch division, including Rawalakot, Sudhanoti, Bagh and Haveili.

At least 3,500 armed troops of civil forces, including Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police, assisted the local civil administration and the AJK police in ensuring the holding of the civic polls in a free, fair, and peaceful manner.

The AJK LG elections are being held in three phases on a political party basis. However, independent candidates are also in the running to contest the polls and get into the civic bodies of all categories across the liberated territory.

The polling in the third and last phase of the elections will be held in all three districts of Mirpur Division, including Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber, on December 8.

A total of 1.2 million registered voters will exercise their right to vote. Kotli district has 563,016 registered voters, Mirpur district 366,043, and Bhimber district 303,020.

A total of 1,026 polling stations would be set up in Kotli district, 625 in Mirpur district, and 538 in Bhimber district, with 1,602, 924, and 850 polling booths, respectively, to facilitate both male and female registered voters.