Violent clashes, allegations of electoral fraud, and the death of a political worker cast a dark shadow over the first phase of elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Monday, 28 July, as coalition partners Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) publicly accused each other of undermining the democratic process, according to local media reports.

The Killing That Sparked the Crisis

PPP alleged that its worker, 35-year-old Mukhtar Younus, was shot dead in Kotli district during polling in Nikyal, with the party directly blaming PML-N supporters for opening fire. In an official statement, the PPP said, 'Our party worker, Mukhtar Yunus, was killed and two others injured during incidents of firing by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates.'

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed grief over the killing and questioned the response of authorities, asking, 'Where are the relevant authorities? What is the Election Commission doing?'

Coalition Partners Turn on Each Other

The mutual recriminations between the two parties — who are coalition partners in Pakistan's federal government — marked a striking breakdown in political solidarity. Addressing a joint press conference, Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani accused the PML-N of orchestrating the violence, alleging that information received by the party pointed to the firing originating from the PML-N candidate or his supporters. Several PPP workers were also reportedly injured in the incident.

The PML-N, in turn, levelled its own allegations of malpractice against the PPP. The spectacle of two ruling coalition partners lobbing rigging accusations at each other during an active polling day drew widespread attention, according to reports citing The Express Tribune.

Scale and Scope of Phase One Voting

The first phase of the PoK Assembly elections covered 13 constituencies across the districts of Bhimber, Mirpur, and Kotli, with more than 1.4 million registered voters eligible to cast ballots. Around 300 candidates contested the 13 seats. Major parties in the fray included the PML-N, the PPP, and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP). The PoK government had declared a public holiday on polling day and appealed to voters to participate in large numbers.

Allegations of Military Interference

Underlying the day's events was a more fundamental challenge to the credibility of the electoral exercise. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the polls in PoK amounted to little more than an eyewash, alleging that the outcome had already been decided by the Pakistan military. The official further alleged that the military under Field Marshal Asim Munir has been instrumental in ensuring that the government does not yield to demands from the people of PoK, and that the army seeks complete control over the region's political landscape to suppress future protests.

These claims could not be independently verified, and official Pakistani authorities have not publicly responded to the allegations. The situation in PoK remains closely watched given its geopolitical sensitivity.