The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the dominant party in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) general elections 2026, winning eight constituencies, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has secured four seats, according to unofficial and provisional results announced so far.
Vote counting is still underway in the remaining constituency, with more unofficial results expected later.
PML-N secures eight constituencies
According to unofficial and provisional results, the PML-N has won the following seats:
LA-1 Mirpur-I: PML-N candidate Azhar Sadiq won with 15,427 votes, defeating PPP's Muhammad Afser Shahid, who secured 9,832 votes.
LA-4 Mirpur: Chaudhry Rukhsar of the PML-N claimed victory with 20,172 votes, while PPP's Sohaib Arshad finished second with 13,865 votes.
LA-5 Barnala: Waqar Ahmad Noor secured victory for the PML-N after maintaining a commanding lead throughout the counting process.
LA-6 Kotli-I: PML-N's Abdul Razzaq won the constituency after leading throughout the count, defeating Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) candidate Ali Shan.
LA-7 Bhimber: PML-N veteran Chaudhry Tariq Farooq won with 35,287 votes, defeating independent candidate Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, who received 24,997 votes.
LA-9 Kotli-II: Umair Naeem of the PML-N secured victory with 31,080 votes, while PPP's Javed Iqbal Budhanvi finished second with 28,509 votes.
LA-11: PML-N candidate Muhammad Asif won the seat after the completion of vote counting.
LA-12: PML-N's Raja Riasat Khan emerged victorious after overtaking the PPP candidate during the final stages of counting.
PPP wins four seats
The Pakistan Peoples Party has secured victories in four constituencies.
LA-2: Qasim Majeed defeated PML-N candidate Azeem Bakhsh by securing 12,952 votes against 8,256.
LA-3 Mirpur City: PPP's Yasir Sultan won after receiving 11,676 votes from all 161 polling stations, while PML-N's Chaudhry Saeed secured 9,832 votes.
LA-8 Kotli: PPP candidate Zafar Iqbal Malik won the constituency after maintaining his lead over PML-N rival Malik Nawaz.
LA-10 Kotli: PPP's Chaudhry Yasin staged a late comeback to defeat PML-N's Fateh Mahmood Hassan, a constituency where the PML-N had earlier alleged pre-election rigging.
Counting continues in LA-13
Vote counting is continuing in LA-13 Khoi Ratta.
According to the latest unofficial results from 67 of 193 polling stations, PML-N candidate Ayaz Ahmad is leading with 10,389 votes, followed by IPP's Ansar Abdali with 8,094 votes, while PPP's Waleed Inqalabi remains in third place.
Polling extended due to high turnout
Earlier, the Chief Election Commissioner extended polling across all 13 constituencies of Mirpur Division from 5pm to 6pm after an exceptionally high voter turnout.
Voters already inside polling stations or waiting in queues before the deadline were allowed to cast their ballots.
Polling remained peaceful under extensive security arrangements involving police, law enforcement agencies and Pakistan Army personnel.
Mirpur Division has 1.44 million registered voters, including 724,811 men and 675,626 women.
A total of 2,316 polling stations were established across the division, including 1,241 highly sensitive, 724 sensitive, and 351 normal polling stations.
Overall, 288 candidates contested elections in 13 constituencies, with LA-3 Mirpur City recording the highest number of contestants at 34.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal praised the peaceful conduct of polling and urged voters to ignore rumours while exercising their democratic right.
More unofficial and provisional results are expected as counting continues in the remaining constituency.
