PML-N Wins Nine Seats in AJK By-Elections as Nawaz Sharif Campaigns Across Azad Kashmir
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz secured nine seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir by-elections, with the Pakistan Peoples Party taking four seats, confirming PML-N as the dominant force in the regional contest. Ahead of polling, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had addressed two rallies in AJK, with PML-N's national leadership lending its full weight to the campaign. The results and campaign events, reported on July 31, 2026, reflected the competitive and nationally oriented character of electoral politics in Azad Kashmir, where Muzaffarabad serves as the capital and primary centre of civic life.
🗳️ PML-N Wins Nine, PPP Secures Four Seats in AJK By-Elections
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz won nine seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir by-elections, while the Pakistan Peoples Party secured four seats, according to Bol News Pakistan. The results confirmed PML-N as the leading party in the by-election contest across AJK, a region where national parties compete alongside regional formations for seats in the legislative assembly. AJK, or Azad Kashmir, is the Pakistan-administered portion of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, with Muzaffarabad serving as its capital and the main centre of political and administrative life in the region. By-elections in AJK are closely watched within Pakistan as indicators of party strength in a strategically and politically significant region with its own assembly and governance structure. The PML-N's nine-seat result represented a strong showing in the by-election cycle, while the PPP's four seats confirmed its continued competitiveness in a number of constituencies. Together, the two parties accounted for thirteen of the contested seats, reflecting the degree to which major national party structures shape the contours of AJK electoral politics. The outcomes will influence legislative representation in AJK for the coming period and shape how the region's political agenda is pursued going forward. Local issues in AJK elections typically encompass infrastructure development, public service delivery, and governance accountability, alongside the region's distinctive relationship with the federal government in Islamabad. The results reported by Bol News Pakistan on July 31, 2026 reflect the structured but competitive nature of electoral competition in Azad Kashmir. [2]
🗳️ Nawaz Sharif Addresses Two Rallies in AJK Ahead of By-Elections
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif travelled to Azad Jammu and Kashmir to address two political rallies ahead of the by-elections, according to a report by The Nation, a Pakistani newspaper. Sharif's in-person campaign appearances in AJK reflected the priority that PML-N's central leadership assigned to the regional contest and to mobilising voter support before polling day. Public rallies headlined by a former prime minister carry particular significance in Pakistani electoral politics, where the physical presence of senior national figures at local events signals party commitment and energises workers and supporters on the ground. AJK has a politically engaged population, and campaign rallies in the region typically attract participation from areas with strong party loyalties as well as voters weighing their options ahead of the poll. By scheduling two rallies, Sharif was able to reach supporters in more than one part of the territory, giving a wider constituency the opportunity to hear PML-N's message directly. His appearances were aimed at energising the party base, reinforcing confidence in PML-N candidates, and countering any momentum from rival parties such as the PPP, which also actively contested the by-elections. The rally programme was consistent with PML-N's campaign strategy of deploying its most recognisable national figure in regional elections to consolidate voter support. The Nation's report confirmed that PML-N's national leadership was fully engaged in the AJK contest, treating the by-elections as a meaningful test of the party's standing in the region. [3]
Sources: [2] BOL News · [3] The Nation