Millions of eligible voters are casting ballots across Muzaffarabad division and refugee constituencies as authorities enforce strict security measures amid rising political tensions.
The second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections commenced on Sunday, with polling underway across Muzaffarabad division and all 12 refugee constituencies located throughout Pakistan.
Polling began at 8:00 a.m. and will continue uninterrupted until 5:00 p.m. Election officials opened polling stations early, while voters started arriving in large numbers to cast their ballots. Security forces have been deployed at sensitive locations to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process.
This phase covers nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad division, including five in Muzaffarabad district and two each in Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts. Simultaneously, voting is taking place in 12 refugee constituencies representing displaced Kashmir Valley and Jammu residents living across Pakistan.
More than 340 candidates are contesting this phase of the elections. Of these, 207 candidates are competing for the nine Muzaffarabad division seats, while 137 candidates are vying for representation in the refugee constituencies.
Election authorities said more than 809,000 registered voters are eligible to vote in Muzaffarabad division, while over 438,000 voters are registered in the refugee constituencies. Thousands of polling staff have been assigned to supervise the voting process.
A total of 1,483 polling stations have been established across Muzaffarabad division, including 533 classified as highly sensitive, 741 as sensitive, and 209 as normal. Additionally, 1,057 polling stations have been set up across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and Islamabad for refugee voters.
In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, nearly 27,000 registered voters are casting ballots for three refugee seats through 175 polling stations operating under enhanced security. Similar arrangements have been made in Gujrat, Wazirabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Karachi, Quetta, Swat, Mansehra, and several other districts where refugee voters reside.
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