MIRPUR (AJK)          -       Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (AJK Chapter) Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry won by-election for Mirpur LA-III seat of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly defeating nearest rival, ruling PML-N candidate, here on Sunday.

According to unofficial results announced by the Returning Officer Civil Judge Mian Naeem Ullah at a news conference in his office here Sunday night, PTI’s nominee Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, former prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, bagged 17,673 votes while his nearest rival PML-N’s Chaudhry Sohaib Saeed obtained 14,813 votes. Sultan won the election with a margin of 2,860 votes, according to unofficial result.

Muhammad Shafiqueur Rehman, the candidate of Tehreek-e-Labaik AJK, remained third in the election as he secured 1,393 votes, said unofficial result.

A total of 14 candidates, majority of them independents, were in the run in the keenly-contest by-election that was held in free, fair and peaceful environment. Not even a minor unpleasant incident was reported at any polling station during the entire polling process throughout the stipulated time frame.

The seat had fallen vacant following disqualification of the AJK’s ruling PML - N MLA and minister Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed by the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir in a contempt of court case on September 25 this year. Saeed had been elected as the AJK LA member in July 2016 elections to the State Legislative Assembly.

Thousands of PTI’s AJK workers and supporters of Barrister Sultan later celebrated victory of the party in by-election at its central election office here till late on Sunday night.

PTI’s Sultan Mahmood defeats PML-N candidate in Mirpur by-poll