MIRPUR, Azad Jammu and Kashmir — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the clear winner in the first phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, securing nine of the 13 seats contested across Mirpur Division, according to unofficial and provisional results.
Polling was held across the districts of Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber, where voters cast their ballots under heightened security arrangements. Voting, originally scheduled to end at 5:00 p.m., was extended by one hour on the instructions of the AJK Chief Election Commissioner to facilitate voters already present at polling stations.
According to unofficial results from all 13 constituencies, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won four seats, while PML-N established a commanding lead with victories in the remaining constituencies.
Constituency Results
- LA-1 Mirpur-I: PML-N candidate Azhar Sadiq defeated PPP’s Muhammad Afser Shahid.
- LA-2 Mirpur-II: PPP’s Qasim Majeed secured victory over PML-N’s Azeem Bakhsh Chaudhry.
- LA-3 Mirpur-III: PPP candidate Chaudhry Yasir Sultan emerged victorious.
- LA-4 Mirpur-IV: PML-N’s Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmed won comfortably.
- LA-5 Bhimber-I: PML-N’s Waqar Ahmed Noor defeated PPP’s Chaudhry Pervez Ashraf in a closely contested race.
- LA-6 Bhimber-II: PML-N’s Chaudhry Muhammad Razzaq maintained a decisive lead during counting.
- LA-7 Bhimber-III: PML-N veteran Chaudhry Tariq Farooq secured victory over independent candidate Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq.
- LA-8 Kotli-I: PPP’s Zafar Iqbal Malik won the seat.
- LA-9 Kotli-II: PML-N’s Umair Naeem defeated PPP’s Javed Iqbal Budhanvi.
- LA-10 Kotli-III: PPP’s Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin claimed victory.
- LA-11 Kotli-IV: PML-N’s Muhammad Asif won against PPP’s Chaudhry Muhammad Akhlaq.
- LA-12 Kotli-V: PML-N’s Muhammad Riasat Khan secured the constituency.
- LA-13 Kotli-VI: PML-N’s Raja Ayaz Ahmed Khan defeated Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) candidate Nisar Ansar Abdali.
Lower Voter Turnout
Election officials noted that voter turnout was lower than in the previous AJK elections, despite peaceful polling across most constituencies. Security forces remained deployed throughout the day to ensure a smooth voting process.
The Election Commission is expected to issue the official results after completing all legal formalities and addressing any objections.
More Read
The second phase of the AJK elections is scheduled for August 2 in Muzaffarabad Division, while the third and final phase will take place on August 10 in Poonch Division.
