Islamabad (TIP): Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party is set to form the next government in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as it emerged as the largest political party in the legislative assembly election in the region which was marred by allegations of irregularities and violence, local media reported, citing unofficial results.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) has won 23 seats while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was second with eight seats and the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured just six seats, the state-run Radio Pakistan reported. Muslim Conference (MC) and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP) were successful on one seat each.
However, Geo TV reported that PTI won 25 seats, followed by PPP with nine and PML-N six. One seat each was won by Muslim Conference and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party.
Thus, PTI got a simple majority to form the government without support of any other party. It is for the first time that it will form a government in PoK.
Traditionally, the ruling party in the country wins the elections in PoK.
The assembly has a total of 53 members but only 45 are directly elected, while five seats are reserved for women and three are meant for technocrats.
The 45 members directly elected include 33 residents of PoK and 12 refugees who came over the years from Kashmir and settled in various cities of Pakistan. (PTI)