PoJK Elections Plagued by Protests and Logistical Chaos

The second phase of the PoJK elections, slated for Sunday, turned into a patchwork of delays, road blockades and street protests that left many polling stations empty or unable to open.

Authorities had planned to conduct voting across 21 constituencies – nine in the Muzaffarabad Division and twelve refugee seats scattered throughout Pakistan. Instead, a thick fog of political unrest hung over the region, with demonstrators gathering not only in PoJK itself but also in Pakistani cities like Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In LA‑27 Kotli, for instance, protestors slammed down the main highways, preventing election staff and ballot boxes from reaching any of the 71 assigned polling stations. The result? A postponement that sparked angry accusations of administrative incompetence. A similar scenario unfolded in LA‑28 Muzaffarabad‑II (Lechrat), where blocked roads again kept officials and voting material at bay.

“How can you call this a free and fair election when your own people can’t get to the booths?” a local opposition leader was heard shouting, echoing the sentiment of many who have taken to the streets.

Demonstrations were not limited to a single locale. At D‑Chowk, protestors set up a sit‑in and announced plans for a long march toward Muzaffarabad, while in Rawalakot security forces reportedly fired sporadic warning shots to disperse crowds. The Dreak Eidgah site, which has been a focal point of a 50‑day sit‑in, continued to buzz with chants from women and children demanding political reforms.

Police detained several student leaders and protest organizers throughout the day, a move that only added fuel to the fire. Meanwhile, officials claim that voter turnout was low, but independent verification of the numbers is still pending.

Critics argue that the inability to deliver polling staff and material to numerous stations exposes a serious logistical shortfall, casting a long shadow over the legitimacy of the entire exercise.

As the dust settles, observers note that the PoJK region has been simmering with unrest for months, and this election phase merely added another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile political landscape.