MUZZAFARABAD: Stakes are high in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections being held on Thursday as the three major parties – PML-N, PPP and PTI – have been claiming the support of the masses.
Voting started at 8:00 AM and will continue without any break till 5:00 PM.
All 41 seats are being contested by 423 candidates of 26 political and religious parties. A total of 26,76,586 voters are entitled to exercise their right to franchise. Of them 14,83,747 are male and 11,90,839 are female voters.
The Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly has 49 seats of which 29 are for Azad Kashmir.
Votes for 12 seats for Kashmiris living in Pakistan will be cast in other cities after which the members of the assembly will cast vote for five seats reserved for women, one reserved for Ulema and Mashaiq, and two for technocrat seats.
Prominent among those contesting the elections are one incumbent and three former Prime Ministers, daughter of the President and son of a former Prime Minister.
Contingents of Pakistan Army have taken over the responsibility to ensure law and order during the elections of the legislative assembly of Azad Kashmir. Army troops will be posted within and outside the polling stations while a ban has been imposed on display of arms and aerial firing.
Contingents of Pakistan Army’s Quick Response Force will remain on alert in sensitive areas. A total of 2,200 troops will be performing duty in 29 constituencies. A total of 15,000 personnel of FCPC and Azad Kashmir police are also deputed for security.
Meanwhile, Corps Commander Rawalpindi Zafar Iqbal Malik has arrived in Muzaffarabad to review the electoral preparations. He is accompanied by chief secretary Azad Kashmir and the IG.
A fierce competition is expected between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan People’s Party, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The three main parties are claiming to win the elections and form the next government. Observers say they expect keen contest among the candidates of the three parties but the PML-N enjoys the upper hand as it has strong pockets of support in Muzaffarabad and Poonch Divisions in addition to seats that will be contested in Punjab.
The federal government has provided helicopter to the Chief Election Commissioner Azad Kashmir to visit different polling stations.
The Prime Minister has directed the Ministry of Water and Power to ensure that there was no load shedding on the election day.—INP
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