Islamabad, Pakistan – Voting for the third and final round of the Legislative Assembly election in Pakistan-administered Kashmir took place on Monday, but only four of the 11 originally scheduled constituencies proceeded to cast ballots due to unrest in the region.
More than 800 polling stations in the Bagh and Haveli districts of the Poonch region of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) opened at 8 a.m. (03:00 GMT) and were expected to close around 5 p.m. (12:00 GMT). Approximately 460,000 registered voters were eligible to participate.
AJK Chief Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), is defending his seat in Haveli. In Bagh, two former chief ministers are facing off: Sardar Tanveer Ilyas of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan party and Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan of the Muslim Conference.
Voting in the remaining seven constituencies—five in Poonch and two in Sudhnoti district—was postponed last week due to security concerns. Officials said new voting dates would be announced in the coming days.
The postponement followed weeks of protests by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Action Committee (JAAC), a local pressure group demanding the abolition of 12 seats in the regional legislature reserved for displaced Kashmiris living elsewhere in Pakistan.
Violence during the JAAC-led demonstrations has killed more than 50 people, according to residents and human rights groups. The government has not released official casualty figures but has confirmed at least seven police and paramilitary personnel were killed.
The JAAC, which called for a boycott of the election, was banned by authorities in June under anti-terrorism laws. Authorities have also barred international media from reporting from the region; journalists were asked to leave and seek government permission before returning to Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Monday's vote was the last of three rounds for the 53-member Legislative Assembly. The first round in the Mirpur region took place on July 27, with the PMLN winning 9 of 13 seats and the PPP taking 4. The second round in Muzaffarabad and 12 constituencies for refugees nationwide was held on August 2, with the PMLN securing 15 seats and the PPP 6.
The election commission recorded voter turnout of 46% in the first round and 53% in the second, both lower than the 60%-plus recorded in the 2021 and 2016 elections. The reduced polling reflects months of unrest centered on the Poonch region, considered a JAAC stronghold, with internet disruptions lasting more than 50 days.
