Polling is being held across nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad Division and 12 Kashmiri migrant seats, with over 890,000 registered voters expected to participate under heightened security.
MUZAFFARABAD: The second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly Elections 2026 began on Sunday, with voters heading to polling stations across Muzaffarabad Division and 12 constituencies reserved for Kashmiri migrants residing in Pakistan.
Polling started at 8:00 a.m. and will continue uninterrupted until 5:00 p.m. Election officials confirmed that all arrangements, including the delivery of election materials and deployment of polling staff, were completed before voting commenced.
The second phase covers nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad Division, comprising the districts of Muzaffarabad, Neelum, and Jhelum Valley. According to the Election Commission, 890,621 registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots in these constituencies.
A total of 1,483 polling stations have been established across the division to facilitate voters. Overall, 208 candidates are contesting the nine assembly seats, representing major political parties including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), other political groups, and independent candidates.
Alongside the divisional constituencies, polling is also taking place for 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri migrants living in various parts of Pakistan. These include six constituencies from the Jammu region (LA-34 Jammu-1 to LA-39 Jammu-6) and six from the Valley region (LA-40 Valley-1 to LA-45 Valley-6), where registered migrant voters are exercising their constitutional right to vote.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said the elections are being conducted in phases due to security considerations. Speaking to Geo News, he noted that although concerns had previously existed regarding the security situation in Muzaffarabad, law and order had improved significantly ahead of polling day.
Authorities have deployed security personnel at polling stations and key locations to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process. The Election Commission has urged voters to cooperate with polling staff and security officials while participating responsibly in the democratic process.
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