Polling to be held on 9 Muzaffarabad division, 12 refugee constituencies More than 340 candidates in the run for 2
POLL FRENZY: Election banners line a road in Muzaffarabad ahead of voting. PHOTO: EXPRESS
MUZAFFARABAD:
More than a million voters will head to polling stations on Sunday (today) as Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s electoral battle enters its crucial second phase with voting scheduled for nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad Division and 12 seats reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) settled in Pakistan.
The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJKEC) said on Saturday that all arrangements had been completed to ensure peaceful, transparent and fair polling, with election material delivered to all polling stations in the 12 refugee and nine Muzaffarabad , Neelum and Jhelum Valley constituencies.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said polling material was being delivered to the nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad Division in the final stage while polling staff had been dispatched to their respective stations under tight security.
The CEC urged voters to turn out in large numbers and exercise their right to vote, describing the ballot as a trust that should be placed in the hands of honest and competent candidates.
The second phase assumes particular political significance following the PML-N’s dominant performance in the first phase in Mirpur Division, where it secured nine of the 13 seats while the PPP won only four.
Election officials on Saturday began distributing ballot papers, ballot boxes and other sensitive election material to polling staff under strict security arrangements.
The refugee constituencies represent Kashmiris who migrated to Pakistan during the Partition of the subcontinent in 1947.
Returning officers across the country distributed election material to presiding officers and polling staff ahead of polling, while district administrations and election authorities finalised logistical and security arrangements to ensure peaceful voting.
Polling will be held from 8am to 5pm.
In Lahore, elections will be held for two refugee constituencies, LA-34 Kashmir Valley-II and LA-41 Valley-Lahore, where Kashmiri refugees residing in the city and adjoining districts will exercise their right to vote.
For LA-34 Kashmir Valley-II, a total of 15 polling stations have been established in Lahore, including one male and one female polling station, while the remaining 13 are combined polling stations.
The constituency has 5,965 registered voters, comprising 3,175 men and 2,790 women, for whom 30 polling booths have been established.
A total of 17 candidates are contesting the seat. Bilal Mukhtar Butt of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has been allotted the Eagle symbol, Chaudhry Abdul Qadir Chauhan of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) the Arrow, Raja Muhammad Suhail of Jamaat-e-Islami the Scales and Nasir Hussain Dar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) the Lion.
For LA-41 Valley-Lahore, there are 6,410 registered voters. Of these, 5,708 are registered in Lahore, 583 in Sheikhupura, 117 in Nankana Sahib and two in Kasur.
A total of 19 polling stations have been established for the constituency, including 13 in Lahore, four in Sheikhupura, and one each in Nankana Sahib and Kasur. Notably, a full polling station has been established in Kasur for just two registered voters.
Nine candidates are in the field, with the main contest expected between PML-N candidate Muhammad Amir Shah and PTI-backed independent candidate Saba Diwan. PPP candidate Ghulam Abbas Mir and IPP candidate Saeed Ahmed Dar are also contesting the seat.
Rawalpindi arrangements
Meanwhile, election authorities in Rawalpindi said all arrangements had been completed for polling in the refugee constituencies of Jammu-6, Valley-4 and Valley-5.
Ballot papers, ballot boxes, official records and other sensitive election material were distributed to presiding officers and polling staff at the distribution centre established at Satellite Town Degree College.
After receiving the material, polling teams departed for their designated polling stations under police escort.
Election material was transported under strict security while district administration and election officials continued to oversee final arrangements to ensure polling begins peacefully and on schedule.
According to election authorities, Valley-4 comprises Rawalpindi city, Valley-5 covers parts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, while Jammu-6 extends across the Rawalpindi Division and Islamabad.
Officials said all polling stations had been fully prepared and polling personnel had proceeded to their assigned stations after collecting election material.
With input from Lahore and Islamabad correspondents
