The third round of regional elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was marred by delays and security concerns on Monday (August 10, 2026), weeks after deadly protests erupted in the region and authorities imposed sweeping restrictions.
Political Context
Candidates affiliated with the party that won the previous elections five years ago, jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have boycotted the polls over allegations of rigging. Protests in the region have turned deadly in recent weeks. The JAAC has rallied its supporters against longstanding electoral rules in the region and was banned by the regional government in June.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N) has already won 24 of the 34 seats contested in earlier rounds of voting and is on course to form the regional government. After the first round of voting in late July, leaders of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) said more than 30 people had been killed around one town, Rawalakot, in clashes with security forces.
“Polling in many voting places was delayed,” Hassan Murtaza, a PPP leader, said, citing it as an indication of electoral fraud. Rana Sanaullah, a PML-N leader, rejected the accusations as “baseless,” adding that the PML-N “will form a government.
