Medical Team Reports Unstable Condition For HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Following Severe Infection

MUZAFFARABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party is leading in two constituencies in the third phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is ahead in one seat. An independent candidate has also secured victory in another constituency, according to unofficial results. Polling was held in four constituencies of Bagh and Haveli districts in the Poonch division. However, voting could not take place at several polling stations because of unrest and security concerns. In LA-15 Bagh-2, PPP candidate Zia Qamar was leading after results from most polling stations were received. PML-N candidate Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas was in second place. PML-N candidate Sardar Mir Akbar Khan was leading in LA-16 Eastern Bagh. He was ahead of PPP candidate Sardar Qamar Zaman Khan, making the constituency the strongest prospect for the PML-N in the third phase. In LA-17 Haveli-Kahuta, PPP candidate and AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore was ahead of PML-N candidate Chaudhry Mohsin Aziz in the closely contested race. An unexpected result emerged from LA-14 Western Bagh. Independent candidate Sardar Sajid Iqbal Abbasi defeated former AJK prime minister and Muslim Conference leader Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan in his home constituency. The AJK Election Commission has also announced re-polling at 23 polling stations. The exercise will take place on August 15. According to Election Commission officials, voting will be repeated at nine polling stations in LA-16 and 14 stations in LA-15. Polling at these locations could not be conducted during the earlier round because of unrest. Elections in five constituencies of Poonch and two constituencies of Sudhnoti have been postponed. The authorities are expected to announce new dates after reviewing the security situation. Meanwhile, PML-N candidate Mohsin Aziz has demanded a recount in LA-17 Bagh-4. His request was rejected by the Returning Officer, prompting PML-N workers to stage a sit-in outside the RO office. Aziz said the protest would continue until the votes were recounted. The demand has added another layer of uncertainty to the closely contested election process. The PPP has also raised allegations of electoral irregularities. Party leaders have accused authorities of disrupting polling and creating difficulties for voters and polling agents. PPP representatives have called for an impartial review of complaints. They said the Election Commission should examine allegations of irregularities to ensure that the voters’ mandate is protected. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman had earlier raised concerns over delays in polling. She also alleged that party polling agents were stopped from entering some polling stations. The PML-N has rejected the allegations of widespread rigging. Senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said the PPP was using the rigging narrative to cover what he described as an electoral setback. He also called for an end to protests and sit-ins. Sanaullah said legitimate demands would be considered by the government, while warning that violence and armed activity would be dealt with according to law. The PML-N remains in a strong position overall after the first two phases of the AJK elections. It won nine of 13 seats in the Mirpur division during the first phase. In the second phase, the party secured 15 seats from the Muzaffarabad division and refugee seats. The PPP won four seats in the first phase and six in the second. The PML-N has so far secured 24 seats across the first two phases, while the PPP has won 10. The ruling party has said it needs only a few additional seats to reach a two-thirds majority in the AJK Assembly.

LAHORE: Ten additional judges of the Lahore High Court took oath on Tuesday after President Asif Ali Zardari approved their appointments, bringing an end to a weeks-long delay over their induction. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum administered the oath to the newly appointed judges during a ceremony at the Lahore High Court. The judges who took oath were Ghulam Sarwar Nihung, Muhammad Ajmal Khan Zahid, Aamir Ajam Malik, Shireen Imran, Asad Ali Bajwa, Muhammad Amjad Pervez, Khalid Ibn-i-Aziz, Munawar Iqbal Duggal, Syed Farhad Ali Shah and Muhammad Usman Ghani Rashid Cheema. Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa also took oath as a permanent judge of the Lahore High Court after completing his probationary period. The newly appointed additional judges will serve for one year from the date they took oath. Despite the latest appointments, the Lahore High Court still has 10 vacant positions against its approved strength of 60 judges. The number of vacancies is expected to rise to 11 following the retirement of Justice Shahid Karim next week. Earlier on Tuesday, President Zardari approved the appointment of 19 additional judges to five high courts. He also confirmed five judges as permanent members of the superior judiciary. The appointments had remained pending since July after the Judicial Commission of Pakistan recommended the candidates for the positions. The delay had led to a dispute over the presidential approval process. The oath-taking ceremony had initially been scheduled for July 27 but was postponed indefinitely. The issue gained further attention after the president neither approved the appointment summary nor returned it for reconsideration within the expected period. The government had maintained that there was no legal basis for keeping the recommendations pending. At one stage, officials even considered constitutional options to address the delay. Meanwhile, legal teams representing the presidency and the federal government held discussions to resolve the matter. Sources said the talks between the two sides made progress and helped pave the way for the appointments to be approved. The president’s legal team had previously raised concerns about the proceedings of the Judicial Commission. Questions were also raised over the rejection of several nominees and the eligibility of some recommended candidates. The dispute had also raised concerns about delays in filling vacant judicial positions in the high courts.