Pakistan-administered Kashmir votes in reduced third phase amid unrest

Voting postponed in seven of 11 Poonch division constituencies as boycott calls and violence mar the region’s legislative elections.Published On 10 Aug 202610 Aug 2026Islamabad, Pakistan – Voting is under way in the third and final phase of Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s Legislative Assembly elections, but just four of the 11 constituencies originally scheduled to vote are going to the polls due to unrest in the region.More than 800 polling booths in Bagh and Haveli districts of Poonch division in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as the region is known, opened at 8am (03:00 GMT) on Monday and will close about 5pm (12:00 GMT). About 460,000 people are registered to vote.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Pakistan-administered Kashmir elections and protests – all you need to knowlist 2 of 4Protests, boycott cast shadow on Pakistan-administered Kashmir electionlist 3 of 4Pakistan’s Kashmir votes: Why the election hinges on 12 disputed seatslist 4 of 4Can Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s election overcome a violent summer?end of listAJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, who belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), is defending his seat in Haveli.In Bagh, two former pri...