MIRPUR – Polling concluded for first phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections after an hour-long extension prompted by exceptionally high voter turnout. With ballot boxes sealed, vote counting is now underway in what is being seen as one of the most closely contested electoral battles in recent years.
| Constituency | Leading/Winning Candidate | Party | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LA-1 Dadyal | Azhar Sadiq | PML-N | Leading |
| LA-2 Chakswari | Chaudhry Qasim Majeed | PPP | Won |
| LA-3 Mirpur City | Chaudhry Yasir Sultan | PPP | Won |
| LA-4 Khari Sharif | Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmed | PML-N | Won |
| LA-5 Bhimber-I | Waqar Ahmed Noor | PML-N | Leading |
| LA-6 Samahni | Muhammad Razaq | PML-N | Leading |
| LA-7 Bhimber | Chaudhry Tariq Farooq | PML-N | Leading* |
| LA-8 Raj Mahal | Malik Zafar Iqbal | PPP | Leading |
| LA-9 Nakial | Umair Naeem | PML-N | Leading |
| LA-10 Kotli-III | Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen | PPP | Leading |
| LA-11 Sehnsa | Raja Asif | PML-N | Leading |
| LA-12 Kotli-V | Chaudhry Yaseen | PPP | Leading |
| LA-13 Kotli-VI | Ayan Nisar | PML-N | Leading |
NOTE: UNOFFICIAL RESULTS AS PER EC DIRECTIVES
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the frontrunner in the first phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, taking the lead in eight of the 13 constituencies, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) maintained its hold in five seats, according to unofficial and partially consolidated results.
PML-N recorded confirmed victories in LA-4 Khari Sharif, while maintaining commanding leads in LA-1 Dadyal, LA-5 Bhimber-I, LA-6 Samahni, LA-7 Bhimber, LA-9 Nakial, LA-11 Sehnsa, and LA-13 Kotli-VI. In the closely watched LA-7 Bhimber contest, senior PML-N leader Chaudhry Tariq Farooq outpaced former Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq by a significant margin, before later being declared elected on the official count.
PPP secured confirmed wins in LA-2 Chakswari and LA-3 Mirpur City, while leading in LA-8 Raj Mahal, LA-10 Kotli-III, and LA-12 Kotli-V. Among these, LA-12 Kotli-V remained the tightest contest of the day, with PPP’s Chaudhry Yaseen holding only a narrow advantage over PML-N’s Raja Riasat.
The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) failed to take the lead in any constituency but remained competitive in LA-6 Samahni and LA-13 Kotli-VI, while independent candidate and former Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq trailed in the high-profile Bhimber race.
Overall, the first phase of polling pointed to a strong electoral performance by PML-N, particularly across Bhimber and parts of Kotli, while PPP retained significant influence in Mirpur and key Kotli constituencies. Final results in several constituencies remain subject to completion of vote counting and official confirmation.
Polling, originally scheduled to end at 5:00 p.m., continued until 6:00 p.m. on the directions of the Chief Election Commissioner to allow voters still waiting in queues to cast their ballots. A fierce contest is unfolding in constituencies across Mirpur, Bhimber, and Kotli, where candidates from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and independent hopefuls are locked in neck-and-neck races.
These figures are unofficial and unconfirmed results from the Mirpur Division. Final results will be announced by the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir after completion of the counting process.
A total of 126 candidates are vying for victory in six constituencies, where 1,401,439 registered voters were eligible to cast their ballots.
To facilitate voting, authorities established 2,454 polling stations, including 597 in Mirpur, 1,107 in Kotli, and 608 in Bhimber. Security was significantly tightened, with hundreds of polling stations classified as sensitive and highly sensitive.
Among the most security-sensitive constituencies LA-8 Raj Mahal-I: 66 highly sensitive, 44 sensitive, and 43 normal polling stations.
LA-9 Kotli-II: 113 highly sensitive and 63 sensitive polling stations, with none categorized as normal. LA-11 Sehnsa Kotli-IV: 77 highly sensitive and 91 sensitive polling stations. LA-12 Kotli-V (Charhoi): All 113 polling stations declared highly sensitive. LA-13 Kotli-VI: 91 highly sensitive, 51 sensitive, and 51 normal polling stations.
Heavy security personnel were deployed across all sensitive locations to ensure peaceful polling.
Election process also witnessed swift action from the Election Commission a day before polling when two presiding officers in Kotli were suspended and arrested after failing to report to their assigned polling stations and instead going to a private residence. New officers were immediately appointed to avoid any disruption to the electoral process.
