Muzaffarabad, August 2, 2026: Polling is underway in the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections across eight constituencies in Muzaffarabad Division and all 12 refugee constituencies, amid allegations of electoral irregularities, violence and political tensions between coalition partners Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Voting began at 8:00am and was initially scheduled to conclude at 5:00pm, but the AJK Election Commission extended polling by one hour until 6:00pm, according to an Election Commission spokesperson.
However, polling in LA-27 (Muzaffarabad-I) was postponed after heavy rainfall disrupted the electoral process, AJK Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal announced.
More than 300 candidates are contesting the elections for eight constituencies in Muzaffarabad Division and the 12 refugee seats spread across Pakistan.
The PPP levelled a series of allegations against the ruling PML-N, accusing it of electoral rigging, intimidation and violence at multiple polling stations.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned what he described as an attack on the party’s AJK president and candidate for LA-31 (Muzaffarabad-V), Chaudhry Latif Akbar, while claiming that PPP worker Mushtaq Shah was killed during polling in the same constituency.
“The PML-N is robbing the votes of the people of Azad Kashmir through bullets, batons and coercion,” Bilawal said in a statement posted on X, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the alleged attack and the killing.
In a separate statement, Bilawal accused the PML-N of crossing “all limits”, alleging attacks on PPP supporters and voters.
The PPP submitted multiple complaints to the Election Commission, alleging physical assaults, ballot stuffing, bogus voting, exclusion of polling agents, delayed polling staff, illegal stamping of ballot papers and interference by government officials at polling stations in at least 11 constituencies.
The party also claimed that its polling agents were prevented from entering several polling stations in refugee constituencies and sought disciplinary action against election officials allegedly involved.
AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, who belongs to the PPP, took notice of the alleged attack on Chaudhry Latif Akbar and directed the chief secretary and inspector general of police to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.
He described the attack as “a slap on the politics of dignity and principle in Kashmir.”
The PML-N dismissed the PPP’s accusations as baseless and politically motivated.
In a letter to the Election Commission, the party rejected allegations against its candidates, insisting that claims regarding administrative failures and electoral misconduct were unfounded and aimed at undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam also urged political parties to avoid a blame game.
“Nothing is to be gained from a blame game,” he told reporters in Islamabad, stressing that security arrangements had been made to ensure peaceful polling and that electoral outcomes should be accepted according to the people’s mandate.
Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said the Election Commission would act strictly in accordance with the law and would not come under pressure from any quarter.
He also confirmed that a request had been submitted for the restoration of internet services in Muzaffarabad Division after a 54-day suspension, adding that the matter was under consideration.
Voting continues for refugee constituencies
Polling is also taking place nationwide for 12 refugee constituencies, including seven seats in Punjab and the remaining seats spread across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan and Islamabad.
Election officials reported peaceful polling in refugee constituencies in Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan, Jhelum and several other districts.
Three-phase election process
The AJK Legislative Assembly elections are being conducted in three phases due to security considerations.
The first phase was held in Mirpur Division on July 27, while the final phase covering Poonch Division is scheduled for August 10.
The first phase was also marred by allegations of rigging and clashes between PPP and PML-N supporters. The two coalition partners have since held several rounds of talks in an effort to resolve disputes over the results.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reiterated that the PPP reserves the right to demand re-polling in constituencies where it believes irregularities occurred, accusing the Election Commission of failing to act on complaints filed after the first phase.
According to the AJK Election Commission, 207 candidates are contesting the eight Muzaffarabad Division seats, while 137 candidates are in the race for the 12 refugee constituencies.
Muzaffarabad Division has 809,621 registered voters, while the refugee constituencies comprise 438,834 voters, bringing the total electorate for the second phase to more than 1.24 million.
The Election Commission has established 1,483 polling stations in Muzaffarabad Division, including 533 highly sensitive and 741 sensitive polling stations, while another 1,057 polling stations have been set up for refugee constituencies across Pakistan.
The Election Commission has urged voters and political parties to cooperate with election officials to ensure a peaceful, transparent and orderly polling process.
