Protests, boycott cast shadow on Pakistan-administered Kashmir election

Islamabad, Pakistan – By the time polling stations opened in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the city had already witnessed two days of shutdowns and empty streets.For a city meant to be voting on Sunday, it looked remarkably like one that had already decided not to.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Pakistan-administered Kashmir elections and protests – all you need to knowlist 2 of 4Pakistan’s Kashmir votes: Why the election hinges on 12 disputed seatslist 3 of 4‘Collapsed’: Roadblocks, internet blackout leave Pakistani Kashmir in limbolist 4 of 4Can Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s election overcome a violent summer?end of listThe unrest dates back to June 5 when authorities banned the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a local pressure group, for holding demonstrations over rising prices and governance.The JAAC protests soon evolved into a campaign demanding the abolition of 12 seats in the regional Legislative Assembly reserved for displaced Kashmiris living elsewhere in Pakistan.(Al Jazeera)As the JAAC protests intensified, Pakistani authorities launched a crackdown on its leaders. Meanwhile, weeks of marches, negotiations...