Pakistan-administered Kashmir opens polls in violence-wracked vote

First of three rounds of voting held after weeks of protests during which dozens of people were killed.Published On 27 Jul 202627 Jul 2026Pakistan-administered Kashmir has gone to the polls under heavy security for the first round of local legislative elections that have been racked by violence.Voting began on Monday morning in the first of three rounds of the elections. Dozens of people have been killed in the run-up to the voting as protests demanding electoral reform transformed into deadly clashes.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Why is India vetting books in Kashmir in search of ‘anti-national’ content?list 2 of 3Why have India’s Gen Z protesters called for a march to parliament?list 3 of 3At least 25 killed as floods and landslides hit northern Indiaend of listLast week, the electoral commission announced that voting would be split into three phases due to concerns over stretched security personnel.Witnesses said turnout in Mirpur district, the first area to vote, appeared low in the summer heat. Some candidates complained that internet restrictions imposed during the protests and ensuing clashes had hampered their campaigns.About 3.8 million residents in the Pak...