Islamabad, Aug 10: The third phase of elections in Pakistan-occupied Jammu-Kashmir (PoJK) was held on Monday in four constituencies, amid violence and allegations of rigging.
Polling started in Poonch Division’s Bagh and Haveli districts at 8 am, while elections in seven constituencies have been indefinitely postponed.
Clashes between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers were reported in some areas as the region’s election commission classified most of the 803 polling stations in the four constituencies “sensitive or highly sensitive”.
The Election Commission had postponed polls on seven seats in Poonch Division in the third and final phase “due to concerns over the law and order situation”.
India maintains that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of it. New Delhi also asserts that Pakistan has been in “illegal and forcible occupation” of parts of these Union Territories.
The first and second phases of the polls in the region’s so-called legislative assembly were held on July 27 and August 2, and were marred by violent protests and massive rigging allegations.
The establishment-backed PML-N won both phases, emerging as the single majority party, bagging 24 seats, while the PPP, its coalition partner in the Centre, won 10 of the total 34 seats contested. Polls are being held for a total of 45 seats.
The PML-N is all set to form the government in the region, with the party announcing that its supremo Nawaz Sharif will nominate the candidate for the prime minister’s post.
The PPP has alleged massive rigging by the PML-N in the third phase.
In a series of posts on X, the PPP said that roads leading to the Banni Marasira area were blocked, alleging that PML-N supporters were illegally stamping ballot papers at several polling stations across constituencies.
“The officials, voters, polling agents and party workers are unable to reach the polling stations to see what is being done inside,” the PPP said, adding that polling failed to commence on time at some stations due to the non-arrival of polling staff.
It also claimed that PPP polling agents were forcibly removed from some stations, where PML-N supporters were stamping ballot papers.
The PPP also posted a video, allegedly showing PML-N workers attacking a polling station set up at a school in LA-15 Central Bagh.
Polling in previous phases of the elections was also marred by violence, allegations of rigging and scuffles.
A large number of people under the banner of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) have been holding protests in PoK since early June. The regional government banned the group in June.
The group’s main demand was the abolition of the 12 contentious refugee seats in PoK. The JAAC alleges that the establishment manoeuvres these seats to install a so-called prime minister of its choosing in PoK.
The protests triggered a severe crackdown by security forces in which dozens of people were killed.
The JAAC has alleged that around 400 protesters have been killed since the first week of June. Besides, it claims that over 40 people were killed during the first phase of polls held on July 27.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advisor Rana Sanaullah has put the number of protesters killed in violence in “double figures”. (Agencies)
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