Sardar Zia Qamar with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s Sardar Zia Qamar emerged as the winner of the by-election in LA-15, Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), according to unofficial results, on a seat left vacant after the disqualification of former prime minister Ilyas Tanveer in April.
The unofficial results issued by the returning officer showed Qamar securing 25,755 votes, with Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)’s Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas trailing in second place with 20,485 votes and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which had won the seat in 2021, securing less than 5,000 votes.
Shortly after the unofficial results were announced, Minhas conceded defeat, while PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated Qamar on Twitter. “Thank you Bagh, AJK for placing your faith in the PPP. After Multan and Karachi, the Bagh by-election has cemented our winning streak. Congratulations to Sardar Zia Qamar, former PYO president and current chief organizer AJK PPP on his victory,” he wrote. “Bagh hosted our protest against G20 meeting in occupied Kashmir last month. Today’s victory sends a strong message on both sides of the border,” he added.
Data provided by the election commission showed that 52,671 votes were cast against 101,146 registered voters. It said polling was conducted at 189 polling stations in the constituency, adding that around 2,500 police personnel and 350 paramilitary troops were deployed to maintain law and order.
Prior to Minhas’ concession, Hina Pervaiz Butt of the PMLN accused the PPP of rigging in the by-election. “People from the PPP have been caught red-handed while rigging in Kashmir,” she alleged on Twitter, sharing a video in which a man claims he saw someone stamping ballot papers at the behest of the PPP candidate. This could not be independently verified.