PML-N Leads Mirpur Polls as Violence and Rigging Claims Erupt
MIRPUR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz emerged ahead in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections as unofficial results began arriving from Mirpur division early Tuesday. The closely fought contest was overshadowed by violent incidents, the death of a political worker and competing allegations of electoral manipulation.
Preliminary figures indicated that the PML-N was leading in seven of the 13 constituencies contested across Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotli districts, while the Pakistan Peoples Party was ahead in five. The outcome of one Kotli constituency remained unclear because neither side had established a decisive advantage by the time the initial count was reported.
Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal formally announced the result for LA-1 Mirpur-I, where PML-N candidate Azhar Sadiq secured 15,427 votes. His rival, Muhammad Afzal Shahid, received 9,832 votes, while election authorities said verified results from the remaining constituencies would be released after the completion of official procedures.
The PML-N appeared particularly strong in Bhimber district, where its candidates led in all three constituencies. The party was also ahead in parts of Mirpur and Kotli, while the PPP maintained competitive positions through candidates including Yasir Sultan, Qasim Majeed, Zafar Iqbal Malik and party president Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin.
CEC Mughal described the election as one of the most challenging exercises conducted in AJK. He acknowledged that disturbances had occurred but said isolated incidents were sometimes portrayed by political parties as evidence of broader failure. Authorities arrested and replaced a presiding officer and an accompanying official after they were reportedly found inside a private residence with election material in Kotli.
The most serious violence was reported in Nakyal, where one man was killed and two others, including the victim’s father, were injured. Mirpur Commissioner Raja Tahir Mumtaz confirmed the casualties. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari condemned the death of party worker Mukhtar Younus and demanded accountability from the Election Commission and local authorities.
Further disruption was reported in the Samahni constituency, where supporters of an Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party candidate were accused of taking ballot boxes from a polling station. Videos shared on social media appeared to show armed individuals firing during the unrest, intensifying public concerns about security and the credibility of the voting process.
The PPP accused rival PML-N candidates of ballot stuffing, voter influence and other irregularities, particularly in Kotli. Opposition groups also questioned the legitimacy of the election, with the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan saying the process had not generated sufficient public confidence. The PTI, which boycotted the polls, argued that low participation reflected widespread political dissatisfaction.
Voting was conducted at 2,316 polling stations for 288 candidates, with more than half of the locations classified as highly sensitive. Turnout was initially slow in urban areas amid hot and humid conditions but appeared stronger in rural communities. The final political picture will become clearer once the Election Commission verifies all constituency results and addresses complaints concerning violence, missing materials and alleged interference.