The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Election Commission has extended polling hours by one hour in the Muzaffarabad Division due to a heavy voter turnout. Polling, which was scheduled to conclude at 5:00 pm, will now continue until 6:00 pm to accommodate voters still waiting to cast their ballots.
According to the Election Commission, the decision was made to facilitate the large number of voters and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to cast their ballots.
The 2nd phase of the general elections for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is being held on Sunday in eight constituencies of the Muzaffarabad Division, along with 12 constituencies reserved for Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan.
Although elections were originally scheduled in nine constituencies of the Muzaffarabad Division, polling in Constituency LA-1 Muzaffarabad was postponed by the Election Commission due to unavoidable circumstances.
Additionally, polling has also been postponed at some polling stations in Constituency LA-2 Lachhrat. Voting in both constituencies will now take place on August 4.
Meanwhile, elections were postponed at all 196 polling stations in Constituency LA-27 due to adverse weather conditions and landslides. According to election officials, polling could not be held because polling staff and election materials failed to reach the area on time.
In Neelum Valley, a vehicle carrying voters returning after casting their ballots came into contact with an overhead electricity wire, leaving eight people injured by electric shock.
After polling was delayed in several constituencies, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of rigging the elections and submitted a formal complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner.
The allegations came after an alleged assassination attempt on Acting AJK President Chaudhry Latif Akbar. PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan blamed PML-N supporters for the attack, while PPP Senator Sherry Rehman condemned the incident and demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible.
Responding to the allegations, Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari said the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections was being conducted peacefully, dismissing claims of election rigging as baseless.
A total of 1,483 polling stations have been established across the Muzaffarabad Division. Polling is also underway for the refugee constituencies of Jammu and the Valley in several Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.
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