MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 5: The opposition in the AJK Legislative Assembly on Saturday boycotted the election for a vacant seat of the AJK Council which was won by the Muslim Conference candidate Mallick Pervez Akhtar.

The Muslim Conference candidate bagged 32 votes — 30 from his party and two from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed could not reach Muzaffarabad because of pressing engagements.

The remaining 17 lawmakers belonging to the People’s Party Azad Kashmir, People’s Muslim League, Jammu Kashmir People’s Party and Muslim Conference Haqiqi abstained, accusing the Muzaffarabad government and the AJK Council secretariat of cheating the Election Commission.

The election was held for the seat which fell vacant on July 18 after resignation of Dr Najeeb Naqi, who has been elected member of the assembly. Opposition parties contended that since the tenure of another council member Ghulam Raza Naqvi had expired on July 31, elections for both the seats should have been held simultaneously.