The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission has dramatically revised its schedule for the third phase of the 2026 general elections, postponing polling across all constituencies in the Poonch and Sudhanoti districts. The decision, driven by a deteriorating law and order situation, throws the electoral process in the Poonch Division into uncertainty.
Revised Polling Schedule Announced
Under the original plan, voting was set to take place on August 10 for 11 seats across four districts in the Poonch Division. The commission has now confirmed that the third phase will proceed only in the Bagh and Haveli districts as scheduled. A new date for the deferred constituencies will be announced following a comprehensive security review.
The first two phases of the election were successfully conducted on July 27 in the Mirpur Division and on August 2 in the Muzaffarabad Division. This latest postponement marks a significant disruption in the staggered polling process designed to cover the region.
PML-N Secures Commanding Lead in Unofficial Results
As the electoral process faces logistical hurdles, unofficial and unconfirmed results indicate a decisive shift in the political landscape. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the dominant force, positioning itself to form the next government in Azad Kashmir.
Rana Sanaullah, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs, declared that the party had secured a simple majority. In the second phase, covering 21 constituencies including nine seats in Muzaffarabad and 12 refugee seats, the PML-N clinched 15 seats while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) managed to win six. This followed a strong first-phase performance where the PML-N took nine constituencies to the PPP’s four.
Rigging Allegations and Political Tensions Escalate
The elections have been marred by fierce accusations from the PPP, which has condemned the process as neither free nor fair. Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari alleged widespread irregularities and violence, casting a shadow over the credibility of the results.
The PML-N has forcefully pushed back against these claims. Rana Sanaullah challenged the PPP to substantiate its allegations with concrete evidence and present it before the Election Commission, dismissing the complaints as baseless political posturing. The war of words underscores the heightened tensions surrounding an election now further complicated by pressing security challenges.
