MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): A total of 1,248,249 registered voters will cast their votes for 21 seats in Muzaffarabad division and the constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir refugees in Pakistan in the second phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) election tomorrow, Sunday, from 8 am to 5 pm.
According to the Election Commission, nine seats of Muzaffarabad division (LA-25 to LA-33) will go to the polls in the second phase, including five constituencies in Muzaffarabad district, two in Jhelum Valley and two in Neelum district.
In total, 657,710 registered voters, including 346,486 men and 311,224 women, will cast their ballots in the nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division. It includes 151,911 voters in Neelum, 177,500 voters in Jhelum Valley, and 480,203 in Muzaffarabad district.
Moreover, 1,483 polling stations and 2,219 polling booths will be set up across the division.
The Chief Election Commissioner of AJK has said that the polling material has reached the polling stations across the division under the tight security of armed personnel. As per details, 18,000 to 19,000 army personnel, Rangers, police, and FC have been deployed in Muzaffarabad division.
The constituencies of LA-28, LA-29 and LA-31 in Muzaffarabad have been declared highly sensitive. QRF forces have been deployed in a few highly sensitive polling stations in Khawra and Lachhrat constituencies.
In addition, a total of 208 candidates are contesting the nine Muzaffarabad Division seats, while 143 candidates are in the race for 12 refugee constituencies.
In LA-25 Neelam-1, a close contest is expected between PPP candidate Mian Abdul Waheed, PML-N Azad Kashmir candidate Shah Ghulam Qadir and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP). Mian Abdul Waheed and Shah Ghulam Qadir will also face each other in LA-26 Neelam-2.
Among other prominent contestants are PML-N’s Noreen Arif and PPP’s Sardar Muhammad Javed Ayub in LA-27; PML-N’s Chaudhry Shahzad Mahmood, PPP’s Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi, and IPP’s Professor Taqdis Gilani in LA-28; PML-N’s Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani and PPP’s Sardar Mukhtar Ahmad Khan in LA-29; PML-N’s Dr. Mustafa Bashir Abbasi and PPP’s Mubashir Munir Awan in LA-30; and PPP’s Chaudhry Latif Akbar and PML-N’s Saqib Majeed Raja in LA-33 (Khawra).
From LA-32 Chakar, PML-N candidate Raja Farooq Haider is competing against Sahibzada Ashfaq Zafar of the PPP. Chaudhry Muhammad Rashid of the PML-N and Dewan Ali Khan Chughtai of the PPP are facing each other in LA-33 Leepa.
Polling will also be held on 12 seats reserved for Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing across Pakistan, which include 6 seats (LA-34 to LA-39) representing refugees from Jammu and 6 seats (LA-40 to LA-45) representing refugees from the Kashmir Valley.
According to the Election Commission, a total of 438,682 voters are registered across the 12 refugee constituencies, comprising 247,876 male and 190,806 female voters. Some 1,057 polling stations and 1,829 polling booths have been established for these seats.
A total of 405,105 registered voters are eligible to vote in the six Jammu constituencies. The Election Commission has established 870 polling stations and 1,504 polling booths for these seats.
Similarly, six Valley constituencies have 33,577 registered voters, and a total of 185 polling stations and 325 polling booths have been established for these constituencies.
The Election Commission has completed all arrangements for the second phase of polling and has intensified election activities in the relevant districts.
