Rana Says PML-N Nears Two-Thirds AJK Majority Ahead of Polls
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Saturday projected a decisive victory for the PML-N in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, saying the party was positioned to form the next regional government with a two-thirds majority. He made the claim while addressing a public rally in Bagh as campaigning entered a crucial phase ahead of the remaining election contests.
The statement comes after two phases of voting in AJK, where the PML-N has already secured a dominant position. Sanaullah said the party had won 24 seats so far and needed six more to reach the threshold required for a two-thirds majority in the legislative assembly.
The next phase of the election has gained additional significance because it is being held under changed security circumstances. Polling was earlier planned across 11 constituencies of Poonch division, but election authorities revised the schedule because of law and order concerns, limiting the immediate vote to constituencies in Bagh and Haveli districts.
Speaking to supporters, Sanaullah said the PML-N expected to add four more seats from the August 10 vote and more seats later when elections are held in the remaining parts of Poonch division. He argued that voters in Kashmir had shown confidence in the party’s leadership, its political direction and its development agenda.
A major part of his speech focused on the ongoing unrest linked to the Joint Awami Action Committee. Sanaullah said a future PML-N government would engage with JAAC representatives and work to resolve the dispute, including concerns linked to reserved seats for refugees from Indian-held Kashmir.
He described the vast majority of protesters as patriotic citizens and said their grievances should be addressed through dialogue. At the same time, he warned that a small number of elements were trying to create division, adding that political unity between Pakistan and the people of Kashmir would remain central to the party’s approach.
The AJK election has unfolded against a charged political backdrop, with protests, coalition tensions and security-related adjustments shaping the final stretch of the campaign. The JAAC movement has been pressing demands for reforms in the regional legislature, including the removal of 12 reserved seats for refugees, a demand that has added pressure on parties competing for power.
Sanaullah also invoked the PML-N’s past development record in AJK and said large-scale projects in the region had historically moved forward when the party held power both in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad. He said Nawaz Sharif would honour commitments to the people of AJK and suggested that one of the party’s Bagh candidates could be considered for the regional premiership if the party forms the government.
The political message is aimed at consolidating PML-N support ahead of the remaining vote and presenting the party as both a governing force and a negotiator capable of handling street unrest. With the final phase approaching, the outcome will determine whether the PML-N can convert its current lead into a commanding majority and shape the next political settlement in AJK.