Polling closes in violence-marred legislative elections in Pakistan’s Azad Kashmir

People are waiting in queue outside a polling station in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on July 25, 2021. (Photo courtesy: Radio Pakistan)

• Two Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party workers lost their lives in election violence
• Election, held under tight security, was marred by accusations of poll rigging and clashes

ISLAMABAD: At least two people were killed and seven others injured in a clash between activists of rival parties in Azad Kashmir on Sunday, a federal minister said, as polling ended to elect the region’s new state assembly.
Over 3 million registered voters took part in the election to choose 53 legislators in the Pakistan-administered part of Kashmiri territory on Sunday. Before it even started, the election, held under tight security, was marred by accusations of poll rigging and clashes.
The party workers who lost their lives were from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, federal minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, said in a statement.
“Two PTI activists have laid down their lives so far. The seven workers of PTI have sustained injuries in different incidents,” Gandapur said.x
He accused the rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for violent attacks on PTI workers
“People of Azad Kashmir are fully supporting PTI,” he said.
In a separate incident, five police constables were injured after Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) activists attacked them with batons at a polling station in Jhelum valley.
After the clashes and violence, voting at some polling stations was suspended.
Polling ended at 5 p.m. and vote counting is underway.