ISLAMABAD: Polling for the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections ended peacefully on Sunday, with vote counting underway across Muzaffarabad division and the 12 refugee constituencies in Pakistan, election officials said.
Earlier, polling was extended by one hour due to an exceptionally high voter turnout.
Polling began at 8:00 a.m. and continued largely without interruption under stringent security arrangements.
Election authorities had urged voters to exercise their democratic right peacefully, while security personnel had been deployed at polling stations to ensure a smooth electoral process.
Polling process in the second phase of AJK Legislative Assembly elections in Muzaffarabad Division and on refugee seats has been completed peacefully@ECP_Pakistan @GovtofPakistan #RadioPakistan #News #AJKElections https://t.co/MWiGB0iuGr pic.twitter.com/tEI2YKE8Ix
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) August 2, 2026
The second phase covered nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad division, comprising five seats in Muzaffarabad district and two each in Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts. A total of 207 candidates are competing for these seats.
Polling also took place in all 12 refugee constituencies, which include six seats representing refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six representing refugees from the Jammu region. Another 137 candidates contested these constituencies, taking the total number of candidates in the second phase to 344.
According to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission, Muzaffarabad division has more than 809,000 registered voters. To facilitate polling, 1,483 polling stations were established across the division, with 533 categorised as highly sensitive, 741 as sensitive and 209 as normal.
Polling has concluded for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, with vote counting now underway across Muzaffarabad and the 12 refugee constituencies in Pakistan. Election officials say the polling process remained peaceful and orderly throughout the day,… pic.twitter.com/8SLa7fn0Fm
— Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) August 2, 2026
The electorate for the refugee constituencies comprises more than 438,000 registered voters. To facilitate the polling process, the Election Commission established 1,057 polling stations across Pakistan for voters registered in the 12 refugee constituencies of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly.
In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, around 27,000 registered voters were eligible to cast their ballots for three refugee seats. Authorities have set up 175 polling stations in the two cities, while enhanced security measures have been implemented at polling locations identified as sensitive to ensure a peaceful voting process.
Kashmir general elections are being held in phases
The AJK general elections are being held in phases, with the results expected to determine the political composition of the Legislative Assembly for the next term.
The first phase of polling was conducted on July 27, 2026, across the Mirpur Division, covering constituencies in the districts of Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber. Voting remained largely peaceful, although isolated incidents and allegations of irregularities were reported.
In the first phase, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the leading party, winning nine of the 13 constituencies, giving it a strong start ahead of the remaining phases of the elections.
