MIRPUR (AJK), Jul 3 (DNA):The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has announced candidates for nearly all constituencies in the July 27 legislative assembly elections after receiving approval from party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the party officials said on Friday.

The party has finalized candidates for almost all directly elected constituencies across AJK as well as all 12 refugee seats, according to PPP AJK Central Coordination Secretary, Aamir Zeashan.

The PPP did not nominate a candidate for LA-7 Bhimber City. In LA-23 Poonch-Sudhnoti (Plandri), it will instead back Maulana Saeed Yousaf under an electoral alliance with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F).

Among the candidates announced are Muhammad Afser Shahid for LA-1 Mirpur-I (Dadyal), Chaudhry Qasim Majeed for LA-2 Mirpur-II (Chakswari), Chaudhry Yasir Sultan for LA-3 Mirpur-III (Mirpur City), Sohaib Arshad for LA-4 Mirpur-IV (Khari Sharif), Chaudhry Parvez Ashraf for LA-5 Bhimber-I (Barnala) and Khizar Rehman Raja for LA-6 Bhimber-II (Samahni).

For Kotli district, the party nominated Zafar Iqbal Malik (LA-8 Raj Mahal), Chaudhry Javed Iqbal Budhanvi (LA-9 Nakyal), Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin (LA-10 Kotli City), Chaudhry Muhammad Akhlaq (LA-11 Sehnsa), Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin (LA-12 Charhoi) and Chaudhry Muhammad Waleed Inqalabi (LA-13 Khoiratta).

The party also announced candidates for constituencies in Bagh, Haveli, Poonch, Neelum Valley and Muzaffarabad, along with nominees for all refugee constituencies.

Separately, PPP AJK leader Syed Azadar Hussain Kazmi rejected reports that party candidates had defected to rival political groups, adding, all ticket holders remained with the party and were actively campaigning in their respective constituencies. He expressed confidence that the PPP would perform strongly in the  elections.