Polling extended in first phase of AJK elections

MIRPUR -- Polling in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections was extended by one hour on Sunday to facilitate voters.

More than 1.4 million registered voters exercised their right to vote in 13 constituencies across the districts of Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber, with a significant turnout of women reported at polling stations. A total of 296 candidates, representing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), and independent groups, contested the seats.

Election authorities established 2,454 polling stations across the Mirpur Division, including 597 in four constituencies of Mirpur district, 1,107 in six constituencies of Kotli district, and 608 in three constituencies of Bhimber district.

An incident of violence was reported at the Darbar Baba Shadi Shaheed polling station in Bhimber, where miscreants allegedly seized a ballot box and set it on fire during unrest.

According to the District Returning Officer (DRO), the ballot box contained 232 votes at the time it was torched.

Election officials said the situation remained peaceful at all other polling stations, adding that a decision on whether re-polling would be held at the affected polling station would be taken at a later stage.

Inspector General of Police Azad Kashmir Liaquat Ali Malik said the police would take immediate action wherever any untoward incident occurred, stressing that no one, including political workers, would be allowed to take the law into their own hands.

Chief Secretary of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Khushhal Khan said the people of AJK had demonstrated their confidence in the democratic process by rejecting disruptive elements. He added that all state institutions were fully prepared to ensure peaceful elections and warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone attempting to obstruct the electoral process or disturb public order.