AJK elections: Rana Sanaullah says LA-14 winner has joined PML-N

ISLAMABAD: PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah announced on Monday that Sajid Iqbal Abbasi — who won the LA-14 seat on Jammu Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party’s ticket in recent elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) — had joined his party.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the PM’s adviser on political affairs reiterated that the PML-N was set to form the government in AJK as it had secured 25 seats in the elections.

He expected the party’s total strength to reach around 33 after the allocation of reserved seats, close to a two-thirds majority in the 53-member legislative assembly.

The elections in AJK were held in phases, with the Election Commission citing security concerns. The PML-N had already bagged 25 seats in the elections before Abbasi’s joining. The party’s main contender, the PPP, won only 12 constituencies and has alleged rigging and electoral malpractices.

Meanwhile, elections for seven seats in AJK are yet to be held due to the security situation.

Sanaullah said in his press briefing that the people had given the PML-N the mandate in AJK. He expressed confidence that the upcoming elections for the seven remaining seats could help the party achieve the two-thirds majority target.

More to follow