Islamabad: Polling will be held today, Monday, in four key constituencies in the third phase of the Azad Kashmir elections, where the political futures of incumbent Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore and three former prime ministers will also be decided. Former Prime Minister and Muslim Conference President Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Muslim Conference chief and former Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, and incumbent Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore are contesting from different constituencies. For all three, the election is being viewed not merely as a contest for a single seat but as a major test of their political credibility, public popularity, and future political prospects. Western Bagh In LA-14 Western Bagh, former prime minister and Muslim Conference President Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan is facing a tough challenge from Sardar Sajid Iqbal Abbasi, head of the Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party. Sardar Sajid Iqbal Abbasi has reportedly spent hundreds of millions of rupees from his own resources on repairing the badly damaged roads in the constituency, provided water facilities to residents, and helped build school buildings. As a result, he is said to enjoy considerable public support. Former PTI assembly candidate Major (retd.) Latif Khalique is also supporting Sajid Abbasi. According to political observers, Sajid Abbasi is giving Sardar Attique Khan a tough contest, while the candidates of the PML-N and PPP are considered relatively weak in the constituency. In the 2021 elections, Sardar Attique Khan won the seat with 25,389 votes, while PTI candidate Major (retd.) Latif Khalique came second with 17,056 votes. PML-N candidate Faisal Azad secured more than 8,000 votes. In the 2016 elections, Sardar Attique Khan also won with 23,551 votes, while PML-N’s Iftikhar Ayub received 14,963 and Jamaat-e-Islami’s Latif Khalique secured 13,047 votes. Sardar Attique Khan has therefore traditionally won the constituency by substantial margins, but this time he is facing a closely fought contest. Central Bagh LA-15 Central Bagh is also witnessing an interesting contest, with former Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas contesting on the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) ticket against Mushtaq Minhas of the PML-N, Sardar Zia-ul-Qamar of the PPP, and Brigadier (retd.) Muhammad Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami. Four strong candidates are competing in the constituency. In the previous election, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas won with 19,825 votes, while PPP’s Zia-ul-Qamar received 14,558 votes and Mushtaq Minhas secured more than 11,000 votes. Muslim Conference candidate Raja Yaseen Khan also received around 9,000 votes. However, this time Raja Yaseen Khan had sought the PML-N ticket but, after failing to secure it, announced his support for Brigadier (retd.) Muhammad Khan. Mushtaq Minhas has also run an active campaign and persuaded the Muslim Conference candidate to withdraw in his favor. The expected formation of a PML-N government is also considered an advantage for him. Brigadier (retd.) Muhammad Khan is receiving strong support from his own community. However, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas appears to be in a weaker position this time and is not considered to be in a strong position to win. In the 2016 elections, Mushtaq Minhas won Central Bagh with 25,944 votes, while PTI’s Raja Khurshid finished second with around 13,000 votes. Eastern Bagh LA-16 Eastern Bagh is once again witnessing a close contest between traditional rivals Sardar Qamar-ul-Zaman Khan and Sardar Amir Akbar. In the previous election, Sardar Mir Akbar won the seat by a margin of more than 400 votes. Haveli / Forward Kahuta LA-17 Haveli/Forward Kahuta is another highly significant constituency, where candidates from the two major communities, Rathore and Gujjar, are facing each other in a closely contested race. Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore is also facing a tough contest in the constituency. In the 2021 elections, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore won with 30,852 votes, while PML-N candidate and former minister Chaudhry Muhammad Aziz, who has since passed away, came second with 25,734 votes. PTI’s Amir Nazir secured 12,734 votes and finished third. In the 2016 elections, Chaudhry Muhammad Aziz won with 34,313 votes, while PPP candidate Khawaja Tariq Saeed came second with 24,124 votes. In the current election, Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore’s former ally Khawaja Tariq Saeed is contesting as an independent. Meanwhile, the Gujjar community has a significant presence in the constituency, and PML-N candidate Chaudhry Mohsin Aziz is considered to be in a strong position. Khawaja Tariq Saeed also has the support of several PPP office-bearers. As a result, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore is facing a significant challenge from former allies. The PML-N candidate has also accused Rathore of electoral rigging, while two presiding officers have reportedly been arrested. Amir Nazir is contesting this time on the IPP ticket but has been unable to conduct a significant campaign. In the previous election, he performed well while contesting on the PTI ticket. #alnoornews #AJKELECTION #English #highlightseveryone