Monday vote in Pakistan-administered Kashmir marred by violence

LAHORE, Aug 10: The third round of regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir was marred by delays and security concerns on Monday, weeks after deadly protests erupted in the region and authorities imposed sweeping restrictions.
Clashes in the region have led to road closures and an internet blackout, posing a sensitive challenge for Pakistan, which frequently criticises New Delhi's handling of dissent in Indian-administered Kashmir but is now facing anger in the territory under its own control.
Monday's vote was supposed to be the final of three election rounds. But authorities postponed polls in seven of the 11 remaining constituencies late last week to an undetermined date "after reviewing a report about the law-and-order situation," Raja Shakeel, a local Election Commission official, told Reuters in a phone interview.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N) has already won 24 of the 34 seats contested in earlier rounds of voting and is on course to form the regional government.
But it has faced accusations of rigging, including by chief competitor the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The two parties have been allied on the national stage since 2024 and disputes in Kashmir have the potential to erode their fragile coalition.
"Polling in many voting places was delayed," Hassan Murtaza, a PPP leader, said, citing it as an indication of electoral fraud.�" REUTERS