Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Postpones Key Polls Amid Violent Unrest

The Election Commission of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir postponed third-phase general election polling in the Poonch and Pallandri districts on August 7, 2026. The commission cited a security report from the home secretary and requests from candidates who warned that deteriorating law and order posed risks to voters and officials. Voting will proceed as scheduled on August 10 only in the Bagh and Haveli districts, while a new schedule for the deferred constituencies will be announced after a security review.

The instability is driven by the Joint Awami Action Committee, a now-banned protest group demanding the abolition of 12 legislative seats reserved for migrants from Indian-administered Kashmir. The group claims hundreds of protesters were killed during the unrest, a figure Rana Sanaullah, adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, disputed by stating the number of killed was in the double digits.

Unofficial results from the first two phases indicate the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is the leading party with 24 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party secured 10. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, has alleged widespread rigging and irregularities. Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs condemned the process as a farce, asserting that the elections cannot hide the reality of public protests and killings by Pakistani forces.