MUZAFFARABAD, July 20, 2026: As campaigning intensifies ahead of the July 27 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, political observers say the race is increasingly shaping into a direct contest between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by Nawaz Sharif, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), headed by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
PML-N leaders have expressed confidence that the party will secure a clear majority, with Nawaz Sharif scheduled to address major election rallies in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur to boost the party’s campaign.
Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has intensified the PPP’s campaign, urging voters to support his party while also voicing concern over the political and security situation in AJK.
The election campaign has been overshadowed by security concerns and the boycott announced by PTI, prompting authorities to deploy army-backed security arrangements to ensure peaceful polling across the region.
With both PML-N and PPP aggressively courting voters, analysts believe the upcoming election is likely to become a high-profile showdown between Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s PPP, making it one of the most closely watched contests in AJK’s recent political history.
