July 21, 2026
By Farhan Tariq
MUZZAFARABAD
With just seven days left before the 11th general elections to the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the Election Commission (ECP) has revised the polling schedule, citing the unavailability of security forces.
Instead of a single day, voting will now take place in three phases: 13 constituencies in Mirpur Division on July 27, 9 constituencies in Muzaffarabad Division along with all 12 refugee seats on August 2, and 11 constituencies in Poonch Division on August 10. According to Election Commissioner (Retired) Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, the decision was made so that army and paramilitary troops could ensure tight security at each stage. Results will be announced on the same day polling is held in each phase.
The decision comes at a time when a protest movement led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee and a prolonged internet suspension have already severely disrupted campaigning. Several candidates are openly complaining of serious difficulties in reaching voters, and they blame the ruling establishment for the situation.
Abdul Samad Advocate, a candidate for the Legislative Assembly, said, “This is the result of our rulers’ incompetence. Had they spent public resources on the public, this situation would never have arisen. A judge or a bureaucrat gets free petrol, free gas, free electricity, and free education for their children, while an ordinary voter’s child cannot even look toward those same educational institutions. Had the rulers given people their rights, we wouldn’t be seeing these days.”
The view from a Muslim Conference candidate, however, is different. Muslim Conference Assembly candidate Sajjad Abbasi said, “First of all, these elections are a constitutional requirement and part of the constitution, and they will take place on July 27 no matter what. Within the Muzaffarabad region, all political parties are running their campaigns with the same enthusiasm as they always have in the past. You’ve seen for yourself that political workers across the city are taking part in this election with full energy and enthusiasm.”
Of the Assembly’s 53 total seats, 45 are directly elected — 33 from Azad Kashmir and 12 reserved for Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing in Pakistan — while five seats are reserved for women, and one seat each for religious scholars, technocrats, and overseas Kashmiris. A total of 3,804,385 registered voters are eligible to cast ballots. Rumors of a complete postponement of the elections had also been circulating, but the Commission instead opted for phased polling. Legal experts say the constitution never allowed for a complete postponement in the first place.
Legal expert Raja Shahid Advocate explained: “Our Legislative Assembly’s term is coming to an end, and the Election Commission had already fixed July 27 as the date. The entire polling procedure has been completed, staff duties have been assigned, and the polling day schedule has already been issued. The only way there could now be room for change is if a constitutional amendment were introduced in light of the current situation — only then could the polling day be pushed back.”
Sit-in protests by the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee are continuing in various parts of Poonch Division. However, after assurances of progress on its demands from the Chairman of the Overseas Commission, the committee has postponed its planned long march toward Muzaffarabad until July 21.
The 12 reserved refugee seats are also a contentious aspect of this election. The Committee is demanding their abolition, which would require a constitutional amendment in the Assembly — but with the election schedule already issued, that possibility has now virtually disappeared. As a result, all twelve refugee seats will apparently be filled on August 2 as scheduled.
Twelve registered political parties are contesting this election, while the unregistered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced a boycott. Analysts believe this election is markedly different from those of the past.
Political analyst Raja Iftikhar said: “I have been covering elections here for nearly thirty years. In the past, elections here were usually contested between two major parties — the Muslim Conference and an opposing alliance. Now the situation is entirely different. Azad Kashmir is home to nearly every party that exists in Pakistan, and two or three major Pakistani parties are also in the field here. This time, in my view, there is no real opposition — this election is effectively being contested by Pakistan’s own ruling alliance.”
The question now is what turnout will look like across the three phases, and whether each phase will be completed peacefully. For now, no one has an answer.