Pakistan-administered Kashmir: Final election round delayed amid security concerns
The third and final round of regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir was disrupted on Monday, with authorities postponing polling in seven of the 11 remaining constituencies over security fears. The move comes weeks after deadly protests erupted in the region, leading to road closures and an internet blackout.
According to Raja Shakeel, a local Election Commission official, the decision was taken “after reviewing a report about the law-and-order situation.” A new date for the affected constituencies has not been announced.
The vote is being closely watched because it comes at a time when Pakistan, which frequently criticises India’s handling of dissent in Indian-administered Kashmir, is facing anger in the territory under its own control. The protests have highlighted long-standing grievances over electoral rules and the influence of outsiders in local politics.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) has already won 24 of the 34 seats contested in the earlier rounds and is on course to form the regional government. However, the election has been marred by accusations of rigging, particularly from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which is the PML-N’s coalition partner at the national level. PPP leader Hassan Murtaza said polling was delayed in many places, calling it an indication of electoral fraud. PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and expressed confidence that his party would form the government.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has boycotted the polls over similar allegations of rigging. PTI-affiliated candidates won the previous regional elections five years ago.
Tensions have been high since the first round of voting in late July. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a protest group, claims that more than 30 people were killed in clashes with security forces around the town of Rawalakot. Reuters was unable to independently verify the death toll, and access to the town remains restricted due to road closures and a communications blackout.
The JAAC, which was banned by the regional government in June, has been rallying support against a controversial electoral arrangement. Twelve of the 45 directly elected seats in the local legislative assembly are reserved for constituencies representing people defined as refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir. In practice, these seats have often been filled by individuals living outside the region, a practice the JAAC says is used to manipulate local politics. Pakistani government officials have denied these accusations.
The delayed polling and the wider unrest pose a significant challenge to Pakistan’s administration in the region, as it seeks to balance security concerns with the demand for a free and fair electoral process. With the PML-N already holding a majority in the elected seats, the outcome of the remaining rounds is unlikely to change the overall result, but the credibility of the process remains under scrutiny.
