MUZAFFARABAD: The ruling PTI in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) beat its opponents in Bagh and Sudhnoti districts and trailed behind them in Poonch and Haveli districts of Poonch division where polling was held on Saturday in the second phase of local government (LG) elections.

According to unofficial and unconfirmed results, PTI was set to get its mayor elected in Bagh where it had clinched nine of 15 seats of municipal corporation, followed by four by independents and two by the PPP.

The PTI was also poised to get its councillor elected as Bagh district council chairman, as it had grabbed around 12 of total 28 seats, followed by four by Muslim Conference (MC), three by PPP, two each by PML-N and independents and one by JI-AJK. The results of four seats were awaited.

In Sudhnoti district, PTI was set to elect the heads of district council as well as the three urban councils.

According to unofficial results, of the 19 seats of Sudhnoti district council, PTI bagged 11 seats followed by four by PML-N, two by independents and one by JUI-AJK. The result of one seat was awaited.

In the district headquarters municipality, the PTI bagged five of eight seats followed by two by independents and one by PML-N.

In Haveli district, the PML-N bagged six of 12 district council seats, followed by four by PPP and one by PTI. Result of one seat was not clear.

The largest Poonch district has seen a split mandate. In the 22-member Rawalakot municipal corporation, the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP) clinched seven seats, followed by four by the PPP, three each by PML-N and PTI and five by independents.

In the 29-member Poonch district council, PTI and PML-N bagged eight seats each, followed by six by PPP, five by JKPP and two by independents.

Earlier, though the balloting was peaceful, sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas, with less than a dozen minor casualties, officials said.

Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas cast his vote in his native Dhakki polling station of UC Bangoin for the district councillor position. “I am pleased that finally this state has been going through a process aimed at devolving powers to the grassroots level,” he said of the LG polls in a brief chat with media persons on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2022