PML-N leadership holds interviews for AJK reserved seats
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sunday interviewed candidates seeking party tickets for five women’s reserved seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. The meetings took place in Murree, where the party leadership has been holding talks on reserved seat allocation and the next government formation process after the recent AJK elections.
PML-N AJK Regional President Shah Ghulam Qadir and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also joined the session. In a statement issued later, the party praised the active role of women during the AJK polls and called their participation a positive step for democracy.
Candidates met the leadership one by one, with each interview lasting five to ten minutes. Among those who appeared was the widow of late Raja Abid Khan of Dadyal. Her son Raja Shoaib Abid had earlier withdrawn his candidature in favour of the party’s ticket-holder and MLA-elect Chaudhry Azhar Sadiq. Other contenders included PML-N AJK Women’s Wing President Maryam Kashmiri of Muzaffarabad, Women’s Wing Secretary General Nasira Azeem Khan of Poonch, Sehrish Qamar of Sudhnoti (who served as an MLA on a reserved seat from 2016 to 2021), Nisara Abbasi from the outgoing Assembly, Maryam Idrees of Mirpur, Maria Iqbal Tarana of Muzaffarabad, and Zareeda Nisar from Kotli.
The PML-N, which has already secured 25 directly elected seats and one allied member, expects to win four of the five women’s reserved seats and all three remaining reserved seats.
Meanwhile, the AJK Election Commission announced the schedule for elections to eight reserved seats, with polling fixed for August 24. Under the AJK Constitution, the Assembly has 53 members: 45 elected directly and eight chosen by the elected members. These include five seats for women and one each for religious scholars, overseas Kashmiris, and technocrats. Elections for seven of the 45 general seats could not be held due to law and order issues, so 38 members will vote for the reserved seats.
Nomination papers will be submitted on August 20, followed by scrutiny the same day. Appeals will be heard on August 22, and withdrawals accepted until August 23. Voting will take place at the Assembly Hall in Muzaffarabad from 10 am to 1 pm on August 24.
The Commission also issued notifications confirming Sardar Ziaul Qamar of the PPP as the winner from LA-15 Central Bagh and Sardar Mir Akbar of the PML-N from LA-16 Eastern Bagh.
