AJK Assembly reserved seats details released

MUZAFFARABAD, August 23, 2026: The Election Commission has released details of the reserved seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, ARY News reported.

According to reports, a total of seven candidates had filed nomination papers for five reserved seats for women, according to the Election Commission.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Shaheen Kausar Dar has withdrawn her nomination papers.

The PML-N candidates for the women’s reserved seats are Rifat Abid, Maryam Idrees, Maryam Zaman and Sehrish Qamar, while PPP’s Zobia Khursheed is also contesting the reserved seat.

For the one reserved seat for Ulema and Mashaikh, Hafiz Tariq Mahmood and Muhammad Mazhar Saeed are competing against each other.

For the one reserved seat for technocrats and professionals, Iftikhar Gilani and Sahibzada Zulfiqar are contesting, according to the spokesperson.

Only one candidate’s nomination papers were approved for the reserved seat for overseas Kashmiris. The Election Commission said the overseas Kashmiris’ seat has already been filled unopposed.

Polling for the reserved seats will be held tomorrow from 10am to 1pm in the Assembly Hall, the Election Commission said.

Earlier, newly elected Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly member from LA-14 Bagh-West (Dhirkot), Sardar Sajid Iqbal Abbasi, has decided to join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Abbasi, who contested the election from LA-14 Bagh-I (Dhirkot) on the Awami Dast-o-Bazoo Party ticket, is expected to formally announce his decision to join the PML-N today.

The development is being seen as another political gain for the PML-N following the AJK elections.

Abbasi defeated Muslim Conference president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, a constituency from where he, and before him his uncle and father, had been elected in all nine elections since 1985.

The notification confirming Sajid Iqbal Abbasi’s election from LA-14 Bagh-I (Dhirkot) has also been issued.