Pakistan-administered Kashmir election unrest deepens as second voting phase begins under heavy security

The second phase of regional voting in Pakistan-administered Kashmir began in Muzaffarabad on Sunday under heavy security, as protests, boycott calls and shutdowns continued to overshadow the election. Polling stations opened in the capital after two days of closures and empty streets, with paramilitary personnel and police deployed across the city. The vote is being held in three stages after weeks of unrest forced the Election Commission to split the process.

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The latest round follows a prolonged dispute over electoral reforms and representation, led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, a local pressure group that authorities banned on 5 June after demonstrations over rising prices and governance. The group has demanded the abolition of 12 seats in the regional Legislative Assembly reserved for displaced Kashmiris living elsewhere in Pakistan. Its leaders are not contesting the election and have called for a boycott, while the final phase in the Poonch division is scheduled for 10 August.

The disruption has been severe. Markets, banks and petrol stations in Muzaffarabad were closed from Friday, public transport was suspended and an intermittent internet shutdown has now lasted more than 50 days. Residents and rights groups say the death toll has passed 50, including at least seven law enforcement personnel, although the government has not released an official figure.

The action has also made reporting from the region increasingly difficult, limiting independent verification of events on the ground. The unrest matters because it is affecting a sensitive electoral process in a territory with a long-running political dispute and a legislature that is central to local governance. Pakistan-administered Kashmir, also known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, is not a full province of Pakistan, and questions over representation have become part of the wider political argument.

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The current protests show that the dispute is not only about the timing of voting, but also about who is represented and how political power is distributed. Muzaffarabad has become the focal point of the latest phase, while the Poonch division is expected to vote last and has been described as the committee's stronghold and the site of its deadliest clashes with authorities. The staggered schedule reflects the scale of the disruption and the effort by officials to keep the election moving despite the unrest.

It also underlines the security challenge facing authorities as they try to manage polling, public order and communications restrictions at the same time. What remains unclear is whether the casualty figures will be independently confirmed, and whether the final voting round will proceed on 10 August without further disruption. It is also not clear how long the internet blackout will remain in place or whether any talks will emerge between officials and protest leaders.

For now, the election continues under tight security, with the boycott campaign and the shutdowns still shaping the political atmosphere.

Pakistan-administered Kashmir is facing a major political crisis after weeks of protests over refugee seats and electoral reforms turned deadly. The unrest has forced elections to be held in stages, with the second of three voting rounds taking place on Sunday. The final round is scheduled for 10 August, while boycott calls and business shutdowns have continued in Muzaffarabad and other areas.

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The protests are being led by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, a banned group that is pressing for changes to electoral laws and more economic concessions for the region. Local activists have called for a boycott of the vote, and the disruption has affected the region's main city, Muzaffarabad, as well as Rawalakot, which has been described as the epicentre of the unrest. The row has unfolded under a partial internet blackout that has been in place since 5 June, according to an independent observer.

Residents and local estimates say the death toll has risen above 50, including seven law enforcement personnel. No official figures have been released, and protest leaders say more than 60 civilians have died in less than two months. The government says the movement is threatening public order in the region, while the army's media wing has said Kashmiris hold a special place in Pakistan's heart and accused vested interests in India of trying to create unrest.

New Delhi has rejected that allegation. The unrest matters because it has disrupted a sensitive electoral process in a territory already shaped by a long-running dispute between Pakistan and India. Pakistan-administered Kashmir, also known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has its own legislature but is not a full province of Pakistan.

That status reflects the wider Kashmir dispute, which continues to shape politics, security and governance across the region. The current crisis also highlights long-standing grievances over representation and economic rights. Protesters are demanding more political rights and an end to policies they say weaken local representation in the legislature.

The focus on refugee seats suggests the dispute is not only about voting dates, but also about how political power is allocated within the regional system. Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, lies about 30km from the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir between Pakistan and India. That proximity adds to the sensitivity of any unrest there, especially when communications are limited and public gatherings are being closely watched.

The partial internet blackout has made it harder to verify events on the ground and has limited connectivity across the region. The staggered voting arrangement suggests authorities are trying to keep the electoral process moving despite the unrest. At the same time, the boycott campaign and the reported deaths indicate that the political dispute has moved beyond a normal election contest.

The involvement of a banned organisation and the army's public comments also show that the issue has become a matter of security as well as politics. What remains unclear is the full scale of the casualties, because no official death toll has been published. It is also not clear whether the final voting round on 10 August will proceed as planned or face further disruption.

The key developments to watch are whether the blackout eases, whether protests continue, and whether the authorities and protest leaders move toward any form of dialogue.

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