3rd phase of AJK elections: Polling concludes in Poonch Division's Bagh, Haveli districts
Polls in four constituencies of Poonch Division’s Bagh and Haveli districts concluded on Monday as part of the third phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. Polling began at 8am and continued until 5pm. Government officials had anticipated clashes in some areas, while the Election Commission has classified most of the 803 polling stations in the four constituencies as either sensitive or…
On Monday, the third phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections concluded in two districts of Poonch Division – Bagh and Haveli. Polling commenced at 8 am and concluded at 5 pm in 803 polling stations, with officials predicting potential clashes in certain areas. The Election Commission had classified most stations as sensitive or highly sensitive, deploying 10,300 additional troops to ensure a secure environment for voters.
Earlier, Election Commission Secretary Raja Mohammad Shakeel stated that the authorities were working to maintain a peaceful atmosphere for the voting process.
The AJK elections are being held in several phases amid tensions between protesters and authorities. In earlier phases, the main contenders – the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) – faced accusations of rigging and electoral malpractices. The PPP has secured 10 seats so far, while the PML-N has claimed 24 seats in the Mirpur and Muzaffarabad divisions.
In the third phase, the Election Commission initially planned to hold polling in all 11 constituencies of Poonch Division. However, concerns over the law and order situation led to the cancellation of polling in the remaining seven constituencies, with the possibility of holding elections by August 20 or 21. Allegations of malpractice, rigging, and violence have plagued previous phases, with the PPP accusing the PML-N of electoral malpractices and the PML-N countering these claims.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
