Muzaffarabad, July 21, 2026: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Election Commission has announced that the region’s general elections, originally scheduled for July 27, will now be conducted in three phases ending on August 10 due to the unavailability of security forces.
Announcing the revised schedule at a press conference, AJK Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said the decision was taken after consultations with security authorities and political parties to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections.
Under the revised schedule, polling will be held in 13 constituencies of Mirpur Division on July 27, followed by nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad Division and all 12 refugee constituencies on August 2. The remaining 11 constituencies of Poonch Division will go to the polls on August 10.
Mughal said the revised timetable was necessitated by the deployment of security forces in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other sensitive areas, making it difficult to provide adequate security for simultaneous polling across AJK.
He explained that army contingents deployed for polling in Mirpur would subsequently move to Muzaffarabad and later to Poonch, ensuring sufficient security personnel were available at each stage of the electoral process.
The chief election commissioner said the phased polling would enhance the transparency and credibility of the elections by enabling the deployment of adequate security provided by the army and other law enforcement agencies.
He added that while unofficial results would be available on polling day in each phase, notifications for successful candidates could be issued after completion of the entire electoral process across all divisions.
Meanwhile, major political parties have intensified their election campaigns ahead of the polls. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are leading active campaigns, with senior party leaders mobilizing support across the region.
The PPP is contesting the elections in alliance with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), having allocated two seats to its coalition partner.
The elections are taking place against the backdrop of recent political tensions in AJK, including protests led by the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) over its demand to abolish the 12 Legislative Assembly seats reserved for refugees from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The issue remains a key subject of political debate ahead of the elections.
