A.J.KASHMIR: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged with a simple majority in the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, putting the party in a position to form the next government.
Addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad alongside Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam, Rana Sanaullah stated that PML-N won 13 of the 20 seats contested in the second phase of polling, taking its overall tally to 23 seats in the 45-member assembly. He added that the party also secured 10 of the 12 refugee seats, while in Muzaffarabad Division, PML-N claimed four seats and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won three.
Rejecting PPP’s allegations of election rigging, Rana Sanaullah maintained that the polls were conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner. He said the election results reflected the confidence of AJK voters in PML-N and questioned the opposition’s claims, asking how the PPP explained its own electoral victories.
He said PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, had congratulated the party’s successful candidates.
The adviser announced that PML-N would seek an inquiry from the Election Commission into incidents reported in Muzaffarabad, alleging that an atmosphere of fear prevented many supporters from casting their votes. He also claimed attempts were made to disrupt polling in LA-31 and dismissed allegations that PML-N workers were involved in an attack on PPP leader Latif Akbar, saying no medical evidence had been presented to support the accusations.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister Engineer Amir Muqam said the peaceful conduct of the elections was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the administration, police, security agencies and other state institutions. He credited PML-N’s victory to its leadership, organisational strength and governance record, saying voters supported the party’s vision for the future despite difficult weather conditions.
Muqam urged opposition parties to respect the electoral mandate and focus on parliamentary politics instead of making allegations. Rana Sanaullah concluded that PML-N would establish a stable democratic government in AJK in line with the public mandate and continue supporting the region’s development and the Kashmir cause.
