AJK Poll Schedule Revised as Law and Order Concerns Grow
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission on Friday revised the schedule for the third phase of regional polls, postponing voting in several constituencies of Poonch Division because of law and order concerns. The decision was announced ahead of the August 10 polling date and immediately became a major political development in Pakistan’s latest election cycle.
Under the revised plan, polling will still take place as previously scheduled in Bagh and Haveli districts. The Election Commission said the three constituencies of Bagh and one constituency of Haveli will proceed to the ballot on August 10, while voting in Poonch district constituencies and Sudhnoti’s Pallandri area has been deferred.
Poonch Division has 11 constituencies in total, including three in Bagh, one in Haveli, five in Poonch and two in Sudhnoti district. The change means that only four constituencies will vote on the original date, while the remaining seven will have to wait for a fresh schedule after the authorities reassess ground conditions.
The Election Commission said the move followed a review of the current situation and a report from the AJK home secretary. It also referred to requests from political figures and candidates who urged a delay in Poonch and Pallandri, citing the need to avoid further unrest and ensure that voters are able to participate safely.
Officials maintained that the postponement was linked only to security conditions and was intended to protect the credibility of the electoral process. The commission said new dates for the affected constituencies would be announced after taking into account all relevant factors and the latest assessment of the situation.
The decision comes after weeks of tension in AJK, where elections are being held in three phases across different divisions. Polling has already taken place in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad divisions, while the third phase in Poonch had been scheduled for August 10 before the partial postponement was announced.
Recent unrest in Rawalakot and other areas has sharply raised the political temperature in the region. The now-proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee has been leading protests over its demand to abolish 12 seats in the local legislature reserved for refugees from Indian-held Kashmir, while the authorities have linked the unrest to threats to public order.
The impact of the revised schedule is likely to be felt beyond the affected constituencies, as political parties, candidates and voters will now have to adjust campaign plans in an already tense environment. For Pakistan, the episode highlights the challenge of conducting electoral activity in a politically charged region where security, representation and public confidence are closely connected.
The next step will be the Election Commission’s announcement of fresh polling dates for Poonch and Pallandri once the law and order situation is reviewed. Until then, the focus will remain on whether the August 10 polling in Bagh and Haveli proceeds peacefully and whether the postponed constituencies can return to the electoral process without further disruption.