Pakistan-administered Kashmir opens polls in violence-wracked vote

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Pakistan-administered Kashmir began voting on Monday in the first phase of local legislative elections, with heavy security deployed after weeks of unrest. The first round took place in Mirpur district, where witnesses cited by the outlet said participation appeared limited amid hot weather. The election is being held in three stages after the electoral commission said security forces were under strain.

According to Al Jazeera, about 3.8 million people are eligible to vote in the Pakistan-administered part of the disputed Himalayan region. The vote follows protests that began in early June and later turned into fatal confrontations between demonstrators and police; nearly 40 people have been killed, the report said. Authorities have also suspended mobile and internet services across much of the territory, creating what the article described as an unofficial state of emergency.

The unrest has been led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, which the local government banned in June under anti-terrorism laws. Al Jazeera said the group’s demands have expanded from issues such as subsidised flour and lower electricity prices to a 38-point agenda, including removal of 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees. Many JAAC leaders have reportedly been arrested, gone into hiding or continued organising from protest camps in Rawalakot.

Some candidates said the communications restrictions disrupted campaigning, forcing greater reliance on in-person outreach in remote mountain areas. JAAC supporters have urged a boycott, arguing that reserved seats help Pakistan’s major parties influence the local legislature. The election is therefore being watched not only as a political contest, but also as a test of whether authorities can maintain order after sustained violence.