- In the second phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after unofficial results showed the party had won 14 of 18 seats.
- Polling was postponed until Tuesday in LA-27 and at 71 of the 174 polling stations in LA-28 because landslides and bad weather had blocked roads.
- The AJK Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) said voter turnout in the seven constituencies stood at 53 per cent and called the election “by no means a low turnout” given the circumstances.
- PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said his party had gained the “simple majority” needed to form an AJK government, with 23 of 45 seats.
- The PML-N had previously secured nine of 13 seats in the first phase; elections for the third phase are set for 11 constituencies of Poonch division on August 10.
- PPP's Sharjeel Inam Memon alleged 'historical rigging' and said the federal government's 'last days have begun'.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the PML-N on its electoral success in the second phase of the AJK elections, where the party won 14 of 18 seats. This victory follows the PML-N's earlier success in the first phase, where it secured nine of 13 seats.1289
During a press briefing, Sharif attributed the party's success to the hard work of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and the entire team, stating that the results reflect the confidence of the people of AJK in the party's policies. The PML-N now holds a simple majority in the AJK assembly, having secured 23 out of 45 seats overall, according to Rana Sanaullah, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs.67
Despite the PML-N's success, the PPP has vowed to continue contesting the elections, alleging historical rigging and accusing the AJK Chief Election Commissioner of bias towards the ruling party. The voter turnout in the seven constituencies was reported at 53 percent, which the AJK Chief Election Commissioner described as commendable given the challenging circumstances, including landslides and bad weather that delayed polling in some areas.
The next phase of elections is scheduled for August 10 in the Poonch division, where 11 constituencies will be contested.
“AJK Chief Election Commissioner said turnout in the seven constituencies stood at 53%, calling it "by no means a low turnout". Polling in LA-27 and at 71 of 174 stations in LA-28 was delayed to Tuesday after landslides and bad weather, with third-phase voting set for August 10.”
