Polling postponed in LA-27 Muzaffarabad after landslides

Elections for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly were disrupted on Sunday, August 2, 2026, as voting in one key constituency was postponed due to impassable roads. The second phase of polling proceeded elsewhere, covering nine constituencies in the Muzaffarabad division and 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in various parts of Pakistan.

The Election Commission announced the postponement of voting in constituency LA-27 (Muzaffarabad-I), stating that heavy rainfall and landslides had blocked several roads, preventing election staff and materials from reaching polling stations on time. Officials said that despite efforts by the district administration, the roads could not be reopened, forcing the delay. A new polling date was expected to be announced later in the day.

This administrative disruption occurred against a backdrop of significant political tension and public protest. The election process has been marred by allegations of rigging between the two major national parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which are coalition partners in the federal government. The PML-N secured nine seats to the PPP's...