Islamabad, Pakistan – Voting is underway in the third and final phase of the Legislative Assembly elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (AJK), but due to regional unrest, polls are open in just four of the 11 constituencies originally scheduled. More than 800 polling stations in the Bagh and Haveli districts of Poonch division opened at 8am (03:00 GMT) on Monday and will close around 5pm (12:00 GMT), with about 460,000 registered voters.
AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is defending his seat in Haveli. In Bagh, two former prime ministers are competing: Sardar Tanveer Ilyas of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan of the Muslim Conference.
Elections in the remaining seven constituencies – five in Poonch and two in Sudhnoti district – were postponed last week over security concerns. Officials say a new polling date will be announced in the coming days. The postponement follows weeks of protests by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a local pressure group demanding the abolition of 12 seats reserved for displaced Kashmiris living elsewhere in Pakistan.
Violence during JAAC-led protests has killed more than 50 people, according to residents and rights groups. The government has not released an official death toll but acknowledged at least seven police and paramilitary personnel killed. JAAC, which has called for a boycott of the elections, was banned by authorities in June under “antiterrorism” laws.
Authorities have also barred international media from reporting in the region; reporters were told to leave and seek government clearance before returning. Monday's vote is the last of three phases for the 53-member Legislative Assembly. The first phase on July 27 in Mirpur division saw the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) win 9 of 13 seats, with PPP taking 4. The second phase on August 2 in Muzaffarabad division and 12 refugee constituencies across the country resulted in PMLN winning 15 seats and PPP 6.
Election authorities recorded turnout of 46% in the first phase and 53% in the second – both below the over 60% seen in 2021 and 2016. The scaled-back vote reflects months of unrest centered on Poonch division, the JAAC stronghold, where an intermittent internet shutdown has stretched beyond 50 days.
Source: www.aljazeera.com