Polling underway in final phase of AJK elections

News Desk

Islamabad: The final phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections is underway, with voters casting ballots in Bagh and Haveli as the ruling political parties seek to strengthen their position in the Legislative Assembly.

Polling began at 8am and will continue until 5pm, with around 460,000 voters registered across the four constituencies taking part in the final round. Election material had been transported to Bagh and Haveli on Saturday night as authorities completed preparations for polling.

The Chief Election Commissioner has announced that voting has been postponed in five constituencies of Poonch and two constituencies of Sudhnoti.

The final phase features several high-profile candidates, including former AJK prime ministers Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, along with incumbent Prime Minister Faisal Rathore.

The election is being held amid allegations of irregularities raised by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), adding to the political significance of the final round.

PPP Azad Kashmir President Chaudhry Yasin, speaking in Islamabad, accused the Election Commission of managing the electoral process according to a predetermined agenda. He also alleged that the Punjab Police had been deployed for specific purposes and claimed efforts were being made to ensure a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) victory.

Yasin drew parallels between the current election and the 2016 AJK polls, saying concerns over the credibility of the electoral process had resurfaced. He further alleged that the PML-N had earlier agreed to investigations into around 80 per cent of constituencies but subsequently withdrew from the commitment.

The PML-N enters the final phase with a significant advantage from the first two rounds. It won nine of 13 seats in the first phase in the Mirpur division, while the PPP secured four.

The party strengthened its position further in the second phase, winning 15 of the 21 contested seats, compared with six secured by the PPP.

With the final round now underway, attention is focused on whether the PML-N can maintain its electoral momentum or whether the PPP and other contenders can narrow the gap and alter the balance of power in the AJK Assembly.