Election authorities have finalized polling arrangements for two Kashmiri refugee constituencies, with voting scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
LAHORE: Preparations have been completed for the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, with polling set to take place on Sunday for 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan.
Election officials are distributing polling materials and other election equipment to polling staff ahead of voting, while security and administrative arrangements have been finalized to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process.
The reserved refugee seats represent Kashmiris who migrated to Pakistan after the 1947 Partition of British India and continue to elect their representatives to the AJK Legislative Assembly.
LA-34 Jammu Constituency
For the LA-34 Jammu constituency, election authorities have established 15 polling stations in Lahore, including one male, one female, and 13 combined polling stations.
The constituency has 5,965 registered voters, comprising 3,175 men and 2,790 women. A total of 30 polling booths have been set up to facilitate voting.
Seventeen candidates are contesting the seat. Key contenders include Bilal Mukhtar Butt of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Chaudhry Abdul Qadir Chauhan of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Raja Muhammad Sohail of Jamaat-e-Islami, and Nasir Hussain Dar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
LA-41 Valley Constituency
Polling will also be held for the LA-41 Valley constituency, which has 6,410 registered voters.
Of the total electorate, 5,708 voters are registered in Lahore, 583 in Sheikhupura, 117 in Nankana Sahib, and two in Kasur.
Authorities have established 19 polling stations, including 13 in Lahore, four in Sheikhupura, one in Nankana Sahib, and one in Kasur. Officials have set up a dedicated polling station in Kasur for only two registered voters, underscoring efforts to ensure every eligible voter can exercise their democratic right.
Nine candidates are in the race for the constituency. The main contest is expected between PML-N candidate Muhammad Amir Shah and independent candidate Saba Diwan, who is backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). PPP candidate Ghulam Abbas Mir and IPP candidate Saeed Ahmad Dar are also contesting.
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