&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistan PM's PML-N wins first phase of PoK polls amid widespread violence, rigging claims")
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won nine of the 13 seats in the first phase of elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), according to preliminary results released by the region's Election Commission on Tuesday. India does not recognise the elections, calling them an attempt by Islamabad to legitimise its illegal occupation of the region. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) said at least 14 of its activists were killed and more than two dozen injured in clashes with law enforcement personnel during polling.
The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) secured the remaining four seats. However, the first phase of polling was overshadowed by allegations of large-scale rigging and violence.
The PML-N, led by Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, and the PPP, led by the Bhutto family, are both coalition partners in Pakistan's federal government.
Soon after the results, the PPP accused the ruling party of manipulating the outcome.
"Our winning seats have been gifted to the PML-N," PPP senior leader Nayyar Bokhari alleged, claiming irregularities in seven constituencies.
Several PPP leaders also urged the Election Commission to withhold the official results until complaints of rigging were investigated.
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The JAAC, a group banned by the so-called government in PoK, also alleged rigging in seven constituencies. The group said the number of martyrs had reached 67 between June 5 and July 28.
Elections for 45 contested seats in the so-called legislative assembly are being held in three phases between July 27 and August 10.
India criticised the electoral exercise, accusing Islamabad of using it to cover up its illegal occupation of the region and conceal illegal occupation and grave human rights violations.
"The current cosmetic electoral exercise is nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation and hide its grave human rights violations in the region. As we have stated earlier, the ongoing mass protest in PoJK, of which you are aware, is the direct consequence of economic exploitation, its denial of fundamental rights to the people and its administrative operations," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
The contest in PoK is mainly between the PML-N and PPP as former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has boycotted the elections.
The PoK legislative assembly has 53 seats. Of these, 45 are directly elected, while eight seats are reserved for women, technocrats and clerics.
The JAAC also alleged that its activists faced violence during the election process. It said more than two dozen people were injured in clashes with law enforcement personnel during the first phase of polling.
