Third phase polling starts in AJK Bagh, Haveli

Polling for third round of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) general elections has been started in four seats of Bagh and Haveli districts with over 460,000 registered voters empowered to cast their votes.

Polling started at 8am and would go on without any break till 5pm, Election Commission officials said.

In the third phase, LA-14, LA-15, LA-16 and LA-17 constituencies will be going to the polls where 82 candidates are in contest.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are likely to give a close fight.

Polling in seats of Poonch and Sudhanoti districts has been deferred, the Chief Election Commissioner has announced.

The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has changed the schedule for the third phase of the 2026 general elections, deferring the polling in Poonch and Sudhanoti districts due to the prevailing law and order situation.

Under the original plan, polling for 11 seats in four districts of Poonch Division was to be place on August 10. But the Election Commission announced that third phase of polling will now be held only in Bagh and Haveli districts and the polling in all constituencies of Poonch and Sudhanoti has been rescheduled.

The Election Commission said the updated schedule has been given in consideration of the security situation. It added a new polling date for the postponed constituencies will be set after analysing the prevailing conditions.

First and second phases of AJK general elections were held in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad divisions on July 27 and August 2 respectively.

According to unofficial and unconfirmed results, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is leading the elections. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah claimed the party had got a simple majority and was ready to form the next government in Azad Kashmir.

The second phase of election was held in 21 constituencies including nine seats in Muzaffarabad Division and 12 reserved seats for Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan. Unofficial results indicated the PML-N had obtained 15 seats and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had taken six.

Provisional and unofficial results showed the PML-N bagged nine constituencies in the first phase of the elections, with the PPP winning four seats.

The PPP was involved in rigging claims and violence in both phases. Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the elections were neither free nor fair and highlighted massive irregularities.

The PML-N dismissed the claims, with Rana Sanaullah asking the PPP to provide evidence to the Election Commission. “Rigging allegations should be backed by proof and not political claims,” he added.