ISLAMABAD: Polling started in four constituencies of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Monday in the third phase of regional elections, though voting in seven other constituencies have already been postponed over security concerns following weeks of unrest.
Elections for the 53-member Legislative Assembly in the region are being held in phases amid heavy monsoon rains, with the campaign marred by protests and clashes involving the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which opposes the constitutional allocation of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir living elsewhere in Pakistan.
“Polling for third phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections is underway in four constituencies of Bagh and Haveli districts,” state-owned Radio Pakistan reported.
“Polling in the remaining seven constituencies has been postponed due to law and order situation,” it added. “A new schedule for these constituencies will be announced later.”
Voting began at 8 a.m. and will continue until 5 p.m. in three constituencies of Bagh district and one in Haveli, with authorities deploying heightened security for the polling process, the report said.
The election commission announced last week it was postponing Monday’s voting in the Poonch and Sudhanoti districts after receiving a report from the regional interior secretary raising concerns about the law-and-order situation.
The commission said at the time that political figures and candidates had also sought a postponement and that voting would be rescheduled after authorities reviewed security conditions.
The elections have taken place against the backdrop of protests led by the JAAC, which triggered violent clashes with security forces in recent weeks. The Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory, an independent rights group, has reported 89 civilian deaths linked to the unrest between June 5 and Aug. 5.
The Azad Kashmir government rejects allegations that security forces fired on protesters or were responsible for the deaths and has accused JAAC protesters of attacking law enforcers and killing two security officials.
Voting in the Mirpur Division was held on July 27, followed by polling in the Muzaffarabad Division and for the 12 refugee seats on Aug. 2.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has won 24 of the 34 seats decided in the first two phases, according to results issued by the election commission last week, putting it on course to form the next regional government.
The postponement of voting in seven constituencies means Monday’s polling will not conclude the electoral process as originally planned.
