Assembly elections are being held in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir amid heavy security. JAAC and PTI have boycotted the elections and alleged rigging. India and the United Nations have strongly criticized Pakistan’s repression of fundamental rights.
deployment of heavy security forces
Mirpur [पीओजेके]July 27 (ANI): Amid growing criticism over suppression of fundamental freedoms in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Pakistan has deployed around 2100 army personnel, supported by multiple layers of police and security personnel, during the ongoing assembly elections.
According to Dawn, the police is the first layer of security, Pakistan Rangers (Punjab), Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and Federal Constabulary are the second, and the Pakistan Army is the third layer. The Pakistani daily noted that around 2,100 army personnel would also be deployed, while Quick Response Force teams would be on standby to deal with any emergency. It further said that 18,560 personnel of police and other law enforcement agencies have been deployed under the three-tier security plan.
Boycott of elections and allegations of rigging
Meanwhile, the Joint Awami Action Committee, in a series of posts on Twitter, highlighted serious flaws within hours of the first round of voting. He said that even before the elections in Mirpur division, signs of rigging and facilities being provided are becoming clear.
Even before the elections, the effects of rigging and facilitation work have started becoming visible in Mirpur division. Now perhaps many people would have guessed why the Action Committee has decided to boycott the elections. — Awami Action Committee (@JAAC__Official) July 27, 2026
Another post on X said that voting was to start at 8 am at various polling stations in Kotli, but even after 10 am, neither the voting had officially started at many places nor the voters who had cast their votes were visible anywhere. It said Kotli remained “completely closed”.
The time of polling was fixed at 8 am at various polling stations of Kotli, but despite it being 10 o’clock, polling did not start regularly at many places and neither were the voters visible. Kotli is completely closed — Awami Action Committee (@JAAC__Official) July 27, 2026
According to Arab News, the Joint Awami Action Committee has boycotted the election, demanding the abolition of 12 seats reserved for refugees. According to JAAC, these seats allow Pakistan’s mainstream political parties to influence government formation. The POJK unit of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf described the elections as a sham and said that the people had rejected the elections.
PTI said, “People have rejected this sham and unfair election. Police personnel are present at the naked polling station in Mirpur, but the aggrieved masses of voters have rejected this fraudulent election. In the night, bags will be filled with fake votes, and history will be created by declaring the most controversial election a success.”
JAAC’s demands and action
Earlier in June, the Awami Action Committee had shared its charter of demands, with key demands being abolition of privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, abolition of assembly seats reserved for Pakistan-based refugees, provision of free healthcare and equal education, establishment of an international airport, and ending employment quota for Pakistan-based refugees in PoJK. The Pakistani government cracked down severely on the JAAC-led protests, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured and missing.
Criticism of Pakistan at international level
Earlier, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, criticized restrictions imposed on the Internet in parts of the region, saying that communications blackouts disproportionately undermine the right to freedom of expression, including the ability to seek, receive and share information during periods of heightened tension. The United Nations urged authorities to restore full internet connectivity across the region.
Meanwhile, India on Thursday criticized Pakistan in the UN Security Council for its continuous repression of basic rights and fundamental freedoms of Kashmiris in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvatneni drew attention to the ongoing developments in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and how it completely exposes the true nature of the Pakistani state.
“The world is witness to the continued suppression of fundamental rights, freedom of expression and association and suppression of fundamental freedoms of Kashmiris in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These are not isolated incidents, but part of a larger design by the Pakistani establishment in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for nearly eight decades.”
Earlier in July, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said that the Pakistani government had responded to legitimate complaints of the local population with excessive police brutality.
“The ongoing protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir are a direct result of Pakistan’s decades of systemic exploitation, denial of fundamental rights, and administrative operations in its illegally and forcibly occupied territories. Instead of addressing the legitimate grievances of the local population, the Pakistani government has responded with excessive police brutality.”
He said that the international community should hold Pakistan responsible for its actions. Earlier, monitoring group Amnesty International strongly condemned Pakistan’s heavy-handed tactics ahead of the upcoming regional elections in PoJK. It sharply criticized the ban on JAAC, calling it a disproportionate attack on freedom of association and peaceful political activism. As local tensions rise ahead of regional elections, activists and watchdog groups alike are pressuring the international community to hold Islamabad accountable. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)