Pakistan-administered Kashmir votes under the shadow of unrest

DPASun, August 2, 2026 at 6:18 AM UTC2 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.Key takeawaysPowered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

• Second round of voting in Pakistan-administered Kashmir marred by deadly clashes between security forces and protesters led by JAAC.
• JAAC claims over 30 people killed during and after first round of voting, with more than 70 demonstrators killed by security forces since protests began.
• Amnesty International calls for transparent investigation into use of force against protesters as tensions remain high in Rawalakot region, contributing to low voter turnout in first phase of elections.

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A second round of voting in regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir opened on Sunday amid growing clashes and heightened tensions between security forces and protesters in the picturesque valley.

The protests, led by the outlawed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) that has been pushing for a change to electoral laws and more concessions to the region over the past two months, have transformed into a deadly stand-off.

The JAAC claims more than 30 people were killed during and after the first round of voting on July 27.

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The group also says that more than 70 JAAC demonstrators have been killed by security forces since the protests began. The claims could not be independently verified.

Amnesty International has demanded a "transparent investigation" into the use of force against protesters.

On Friday, hundreds of young men and women rallied in the Pakistani capital to express solidarity with the JAAC.

The stand-off between the JAAC and security forces continues in the Rawalakot region where schools, markets and banks are closed, and mobile and internet services have been suspended.

The tense security situation contributed to low turnout in the first phase of voting, according to analysts, in which the ruling PML-N won nine out of 13 seats.

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"It (turnout) is around 47% in 2026 compared to around 61% in 2021. It is comparatively lower but not that bad going by the standards in Pakistan," said Ahmad Bilal Mahboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT).

Mahboob said that the JAAC and a boycott of former prime minister Imran Khan's party had contributed to the lower turnout.

In the second round of voting, nine seats are up for grabs in the district of Muzaffarabad along with 12 seats earmarked for refugees settled in Pakistan.

One of the JAAC's main demands is the abolition of the 12 seats for refugees in the regional assembly.

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The JAAC argues these seats give too much influence to the central government in Islamabad to intervene in local affairs.

Nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India both lay claim to the entire region of Kashmir and have fought three wars for its control.