Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has secured a majority in the ongoing legislative assembly elections in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), marking the party's return to power in the region after nearly a decade.

According to the regional election commission, the PML-N has won 24 of the 34 seats decided in the first two phases of polling, crossing the majority mark of 23 seats even before voting for the remaining 11 constituencies, scheduled for August 10.

The election outcome, however, has been overshadowed by allegations of electoral irregularities, violent clashes, and widespread protests demanding greater political autonomy.

PML-N Returns to Power

The victory marks the Sharif-led party's first electoral success in PoJK in ten years and strengthens its political position in the strategically significant region.

Officials said polling witnessed voter participation exceeding 50 per cent in several areas, including the regional capital Muzaffarabad, despite calls for an election boycott by protest groups.

Opposition Alleges Rigging

The election results have been challenged by opposition parties, particularly the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari accused the ruling party of manipulating the electoral process through coercive tactics, alleging that votes were "taken through bullets, batons and intimidation."

Although the PPP remains a coalition partner in Pakistan's federal government, Bilawal mounted an aggressive campaign in PoJK, accusing the PML-N of pursuing policies that undermine the region's political autonomy.

During election rallies, he criticised the Sharif government's governance record and argued that the party could no longer seek public support after multiple terms in power at both the federal and provincial levels.

Autonomy Movement Casts Shadow

The elections were conducted against the backdrop of an ongoing mass movement led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been demanding greater autonomy and constitutional reforms.

The organisation had urged residents to boycott the polls, alleging that the electoral process could not be considered free or fair under prevailing political conditions.

The protests initially began over demands to abolish 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who migrated to Pakistan after 1947. Over time, the movement expanded into a broader campaign challenging Islamabad's administrative control over the region.

Violence and Crackdown Continue

The election period witnessed significant violence across several districts.

The JAAC claimed that around 30 people were killed during the first two days of polling in what it described as a security crackdown on protesters.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated that at least 90 people have died since June during unrest in the region.

Independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult because internet services have remained suspended in many parts of the territory while authorities have imposed strict restrictions on the flow of information.

India's Position on PoJK

India maintains that the entire region of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied territories, is an integral part of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan administers the occupied territory as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan, an arrangement that India does not recognise.

India also rejects Pakistan's 1963 agreement transferring the Shaksgam Valley to China, maintaining that the territory legally belongs to India.

Political Uncertainty Persists

Although the PML-N has secured a legislative majority, the political situation in PoJK remains volatile.

Analysts believe the continuing autonomy movement, allegations surrounding the electoral process and ongoing security operations are likely to keep tensions high even after the government is formally constituted.

The final phase of polling on August 10 is expected to complete the electoral process, but the broader political challenges facing the region are unlikely to ease in the immediate future.