Can Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s election overcome a violent summer? | Politics
Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-administered Kashmir — Traffic moved slowly under a canopy of election bunting as banners and flags of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) adorned the streets. Green tigers symbolizing PML-N and red and black flags featuring the PPP’s emblem encircled the clock tower in Lal Chowk, near the main market of Muzaffarabad.
While the city, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, appears to be preparing for an election, it is also facing significant unrest. Months of protests and sit-ins since early June have resulted in numerous fatalities, stemming from discontent over the region’s upcoming provincial elections initially scheduled for July 27. However, the elections will now unfold over three separate days due to security concerns linked to the protests.
Voting in the Mirpur division will still occur on July 27, while the Poonch division, a hotspot for protests, will hold elections on August 10. The remaining elections for Muzaffarabad and 12 reserved seats for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir will take place on August 2, according to Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retired) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal.
The agitation revolves around the reserved seats for refugees. Protesters argue that only residents of Pakistan-administered Kashmir should be eligible to contest for the regional legislature, prompting calls for these seats to be abolished.
“I have never joined them, I never participated in their protest,” said a 60-year-old driver, who requested anonymity. “But my sympathy is with the poor people fighting for their rights.” However, he expressed a reluctance to vote, asserting that current candidates are unworthy, stating, “A vote is a responsibility, and it should only be given to those who deserve it.”
The Kashmir region, a scenic yet disputed territory, has been at the center of several conflicts between Pakistan and India since both countries gained independence in 1947. Each country claims the region in its entirety but administers separate portions.
With a population exceeding four million, Pakistan-administered Kashmir has a semi-autonomous government. Local authorities, including Deputy Commissioner Munir Qureshi, insist that daily life continues largely uninterrupted despite the tensions.
“The electoral process remains on track,” Qureshi stated, noting the active campaigning underway in local markets. However, the absence of the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) raises questions about the legitimacy of the electoral process.
The JAAC, formed in 2023 to address socio-economic grievances, has been advocating for years for various reforms, including the abolition of the 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees. The movement intensified recently, resulting in its proscription by the AJK government in June due to escalating protests.
Polls indicate a significant reduction in participation may follow these tensions; the general seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly include 12 reserved for Kashmiri refugees dating back to the 1960s. Critics argue these seats disproportionately empower individuals who do not reside in the region.
In a ruling earlier this month, the AJK Supreme Court indicated that any abolition of these seats would require a formal constitutional amendment. Election data shows an increase in the electorate, with the voter base in the refugee constituencies rising to nearly 439,000.
Amidst this backdrop, campaigning has shifted gears. For many candidates, including Iftikhar Gillani of PML-N, the month of June was largely dormant due to protests. “The campaign only picked up in the last few days,” Gillani said.
For others involved in the political landscape, including PPP candidate Sardar Mukhtar, the atmosphere has changed considerably. “The campaign environment is not like previously,” he acknowledged, predicting lower turnout.
While AJK authorities maintain that electoral processes remain uncompromised, a notable segment of the populace questions the integrity and fairness of the elections amid ongoing unrest and protests.
Polling in the coming weeks will reveal not only the electoral preferences of the people of AJK but possibly their broader sentiments regarding governance and representation in a region marked by political turbulence.
