Polling for the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections ended on Sunday evening after authorities extended voting by one hour until 6pm across nine constituencies in the Muzaffarabad division.
The polling process, originally scheduled from 8am to 5pm, was extended by an hour to facilitate voters in the Muzaffarabad division
The AJK Election Commission said in a statement that the decision was taken in view of the large number of voters arriving at polling stations and to facilitate them in exercising their right to vote.
Voting took place in nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division — five in Muzaffarabad district, two in Jhelum Valley, and two in Neelum — with 207 candidates contesting.
Simultaneously, polling was held in all 12 refugee constituencies, including six seats reserved for refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six for refugees from the Jammu region.
A total of 137 candidates are in the race for these refugee seats.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged victorious in the first phase of polls held in Mirpur division on August 27, clinching nine seats while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured four of the 13 seats.
The PPP has alleged widespread rigging by the PML-N during the first phase, with the PML-N rejecting all allegations.
The third and final phase of the elections will be held in Poonch Division on August 10.
PPP alleges rigging
As polling continued, the PPP AJK lodged a written complaint with the AJK Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, alleging electoral irregularities at a polling station.
In his complaint, PPP AJK election cell in-charge Sardar Abdul Shakoor alleged that PML-N workers were stamping ballot papers at polling station 24 in LA-32.
Shakoor claimed the alleged activity had severely affected the transparency of the electoral process, saying the incident amounted to a violation of the election code of conduct and rules governing government employees.
In the complaint, he requested that the "illegal activity" at the polling station be stopped immediately and that the relevant ballot papers be taken into custody.
He also called for the immediate removal of the government employee performing the duties of a polling agent and urged the AJK Election Commission to investigate the matter and take legal action against those found responsible.
Addressing a press conference, PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan said his party had submitted more than 15 applications over reported issues during polling.
Chan claimed that polling staff and election material could not reach several constituencies, and PPP polling agents were removed from polling booths.
He further questioned the role of the AJK Election Commission, saying it would become difficult to consider the election transparent if such issues continued.
Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari rejected the allegations of rigging, saying that the second phase of the AJK elections was continuing peacefully.
In apparent reference to the PPP, she said that the existence of the "crying and complaining party" was nowhere to be seen.
Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam rejected allegations of rigging in the AJK elections, urging political opponents to accept the public's verdict instead of making accusations.
The PML-N leader said the PPP should ask voters why they rejected the party instead of making allegations.
Muqam said that voters in Mirpur Division had supported the PML-N on the basis of its performance, criticising "unsubstantiated allegations" of rigging.
"Nothing can be achieved through blame game," he said, questioning how allegations of rigging could be made when the offices of the president and prime minister in AJK were already held by the PPP.
PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman alleged an attack on PPP leader and AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, calling for the immediate arrest of those responsible.
"It is extremely shameful that such an incident has occurred again after the regrettable events of the first phase," she said, alleging that PML-N workers opened fire.
The PPP vice president urged the Election Commission to take immediate notice of the incident and initiate strict action against those found responsible in accordance with the law.
'PPP worker killed'
PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira alleged that the polling process was marred by violence, administrative failures and interference at several constituencies.
Addressing a press conference in Muzaffarabad, he said that his party had received information that one of its workers had been killed.
"When the elections began, there was already an atmosphere of tension and the law and order situation was also poor," he said, adding that the party had reservations over holding the elections in three phases but decided to participate despite its concerns.
He claimed the PPP had repeatedly raised objections over voter turnout figures and had identified constituencies where it believed conditions were not conducive to transparent polling.
He alleged that despite the party's warnings, an assassination attempt took place against PPP AJK President Chaudhry Latif Akbar in his constituency.
Kaira also alleged that polling staff reached many polling stations late and claimed that, in some cases, PML-N workers took polling personnel with them and stamped ballot papers.
"If the conduct of the election itself becomes controversial, what credibility will the new government have?" Kaira asked, saying that the PPP believed the election had been "snatched" from it.
Separately, PPP Chairman Bilawal condemned the killing of party worker Mushtaq Shah in LA-31 and expressed condolences to his family.
He said that the attack on Akbar, followed by the killing of the PPP worker, exposed "the intentions of the PML-N".
Bilawal maintained that if the PML-N won the polls through rigging, it would undermine public confidence in state institutions, accusing the party of attempting to deprive the people of AJK of their votes through force.
