Senior journalist Talat Hussain said the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, held across 13 constituencies in Mirpur Division, recorded a strong voter turnout despite a closely contested political landscape.
According to Hussain, AJK has more than 3.8 million registered voters, while over 1.4 million voters were eligible to cast their ballots in the constituencies where polling was held during the first phase.
While talking on a TV program, he noted that the overall voter turnout stood at around 50%, describing it as a significant level of public participation. In several constituencies, turnout reached between 52% and 53%, reflecting robust electoral engagement.
Hussain also observed that the elections featured a closely contested race among the major political parties. Candidates representing the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) took part in the electoral process.
He added that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not participate in the by-elections, having announced a boycott of the electoral process.
The elections were marked by competitive contests in the participating constituencies, with voter participation remaining relatively high despite the absence of one of the country’s major political parties.
Earlier, the Chief Election Commissioner of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) had extended polling time by one hour in 13 constituencies of Mirpur Division due to a high number of voters at polling stations. The decision was taken to ensure that all eligible voters present in the queues can cast their votes.
Since morning, remarkable enthusiasm among voters was witnessed across different areas, with a large number of youth, women, senior citizens, and first-time voters arriving at polling stations. Long queues of voters were seen at several locations.
According to election officials, the extension was announced after considering the significant voter turnout. The Chief Election Commissioner directed that voters already present in queues by the scheduled closing time should be allowed to cast their ballots without any difficulty.
The strong public participation reflects the confidence of the people of Azad Kashmir in the democratic process and the power of their vote. A large number of citizens came out to elect their representatives and actively participated in the electoral process.
Overall, polling is continuing in a peaceful environment, with strict security arrangements in place. Law enforcement personnel and election officials are deployed at polling stations to ensure transparent, fair, and peaceful elections.
A total of 296 candidates, including nominees from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), as well as independent candidates, are contesting the elections.
Read more: AJK Election Commissioner extends polling time by one hour in Mirpur Division
