National ( The cow news digital ) The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has taken an early lead in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly Elections 2026, securing 7 out of 10 fully counted seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) bagged 3 seats, according to unofficial and preliminary results from Mirpur Division.
Polling across 13 constituencies in Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber districts was extended by one hour by Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, concluding at 6:00 PM. Overall voter turnout registered lower compared to previous general elections.
According to complete unofficial returns:
- LA-1 Mirpur-1: PML-N’s Azhar Sadiq won with 15,427 votes against PPP’s Muhammad Afsar Shahid (9,832 votes).
- LA-2 Mirpur-2: PPP’s Qasim Majeed emerged victorious with 12,904 votes, defeating PML-N’s Azeem Bakhsh Chaudhry (8,182 votes).
- LA-3 Mirpur-3: PPP’s Chaudhry Yasir Sultan secured victory with 11,676 votes over PML-N’s Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed (9,832 votes).
- LA-4 Mirpur-4: PML-N’s Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmed secured the seat with 20,172 votes against PPP’s Chaudhry Sohaib Arshad (13,865 votes).
- LA-7 Bhimber-3: PML-N’s Chaudhry Tariq Farooq won with 35,490 votes against independent candidate Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq (25,100 votes).
- LA-8 Kotli-1: PPP’s Zafar Iqbal Malik won with 19,535 votes, defeating PML-N’s Malik Muhammad Nawaz Khan (11,966 votes).
- LA-9 Kotli-2: PML-N’s Umair Naeem won with 31,080 votes against PPP’s Javed Iqbal Budhanvi (28,509 votes).
- LA-11 Kotli-4: PML-N’s Muhammad Asif won with 26,190 votes over PPP’s Chaudhry Muhammad Akhlak (21,751 votes).
- LA-12 Kotli-5: PML-N’s Muhammad Riyasat Khan emerged victorious with 35,168 votes over PPP’s Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin (30,320 votes).
- LA-13 Kotli-6: PML-N’s Raja Ayaz Ahmed Khan won with 21,856 votes against IPP’s Nisar Ansar Abdali (15,859 votes).
The polling process was marred by electoral violations and political violence. In the Nakyal constituency (LA-9), armed clashes between PML-N and PPP supporters resulted in the death of PPP worker Mukhtar Younis. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned the killing, alleging that PML-N candidate Sardar Umair Naeem’s supporters were responsible. Meanwhile, PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman demanded re-polling at multiple stations in LA-8 Kotli-1 over alleged voter intimidation.
In separate enforcement actions, police arrested Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) candidate Ali Shan Soni in Bhimber for allegedly confiscating ballot boxes from four polling stations, leading to the suspension of local administrative and police officials. Additionally, two presiding officers in Kotli were arrested, suspended, and booked for taking polling bags to a private residence.
Dismissing rigging allegations, Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb celebrated PML-N’s performance on social media, stating that voters in Mirpur voiced confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Conversely, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari accused the PPP of orchestrating irregularities in the region.
