AJK Holds Third Phase Elections Amid Partial Postponements

Voters in four constituencies across the Bagh and Haveli districts of the Poonch Division cast ballots on August 10, 2026, for the third phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections. Approximately 460,000 registered voters participated in the polling, which featured high-profile candidates including AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore and former prime ministers Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.

The Election Commission of Azad Kashmir managed the process, though Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal postponed elections in seven other constituencies across the Poonch and Sudhnoti districts. These delays were attributed to law and order concerns and ongoing sit-ins. The commission indicated that a new schedule for these remaining seats could be announced by August 20, provided conditions stabilize.

Political tensions emerged during the vote as PPP Senator Sherry Rehman alleged polling delays and the restriction of polling agents at several stations. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz currently leads the 45-member assembly with 24 seats secured from the first two phases, while the Pakistan Peoples Party holds 10. Senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah urged protesters to end the sit-ins that disrupted the broader electoral schedule.