Election authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have taken the unusual step of withholding results for two constituencies in Bagh district and are facing a tense standoff in Haveli, where the sitting prime minister's narrow lead is being challenged by his opponent. The moves come as the second phase of voting for the local legislative assembly concludes, with at least one clear winner already declared. Main Developments On Tuesday, the AJK Election Commission announced the result for LA-14 (Bagh-I), commonly known as Dhirkot, where Jammu Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party candidate Sajid Iqbal Abbasi secured a landslide victory. Abbasi garnered 40,522 votes, defeating former prime minister and Muslim Conference president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, who received 19,637 votes. PML-N's Raja Faisal Azad and PPP's Raja Mubashar Ejaz trailed with 3,031 and 2,748 votes, respectively. In a social media post, Khan congratulated Abbasi, stating he accepted the people's decision with an open heart. His message came as attention shifted to the unresolved contests in neighboring constituencies. Read also: Why the US-Pakistan higher education pact matters beyond scholarships For LA-15 (Central Bagh), PPP's Sardar Ziaul Qamar is leading with 16,637 votes, followed by PML-N's Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas with 15,015 and Jamaat-i-Islami's Brig (retired) Dr Muhammad Khan with 12,259. Although AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker and senior PPP leader Chaudhry Latif Akbar claimed on X that Qamar had won by a margin of 3,000 votes, the unofficial Returning Officer results put the lead at just 1,622 votes. The result was withheld pending repolling at nine polling stations on Aug 15, where a total of 5,032 votes are registered. In LA-16 (Eastern Bagh), PML-N's Sardar Mir Akbar holds a 3,225-vote lead over Sardar Qamaruz Zaman, with 19,515 votes against 16,290. However, this result was also withheld because polling could not be conducted at 14 polling stations, affecting 7,238 registered voters. Background LA-17 (Haveli) has emerged as the most contentious constituency. Initial reports put PML-N candidate Engr Mohsin Aziz ahead of Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, but the race tightened as counting progressed. After television channels reported Rathore as the winner, thousands of Aziz's supporters converged on the district courts, surrounding the offices of the Returning Officer (RO) and the District Returning Officer (DRO). Aziz alleged that Form 24s—which record votes at individual polling stations—had been tampered with. He claimed possession of results signed by presiding officers showing a winning margin of 8,600 votes, and referred to Rathore as a “Form 47 prime minister,” accusing him of trying to turn defeat into victory fraudulently. He also stated that his application for a recount had been rejected by the RO, calling the rejection an injustice. The Election Commission, with assistance from the army's Quick Response Force (QRF), evacuated DRO Waheed Mughal and RO Asheer Chughtai along with sealed polling bags, amid fears the material could be damaged or set on fire. Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal indicated a decision would follow once the polling bags and records reached the commission's office. Why It Matters The withheld results and the Haveli dispute threaten to cast a shadow over the credibility of the electoral process in AJK. Aziz has vowed to continue protesting until a recount is conducted, warning that the RO's “partiality” has destroyed the peaceful atmosphere in Haveli. PML-N regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir echoed these concerns, describing “great injustice” through “fabricated results” and noting that workers and supporters are “extremely charged up.” Qadir has urged Aziz to keep supporters calm and pursue legal means, expressing hope that the Election Commission would resolve the matter “without fear or favour.” The outcome in Haveli carries particular weight because it involves the sitting prime minister, whose victory is being challenged by a substantial margin claim. What's Next Repolling is scheduled for Aug 15 at the nine polling stations in LA-15, while the commission has yet to announce a timeline for the 14 stations in LA-16. For LA-17, the commission's decision awaits the arrival of polling bags and records in its office. Aziz has challenged the PPP leadership to prove him wrong, stating he would quit politics if he fails to win by a substantial margin in a recount. He maintains that a recount is his fundamental right and that his protest will continue until the mandate is restored. The commission's next steps will determine whether the disputed results are resolved through legal channels or further escalation.