Can Kashmir’s election address summer violence?

Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, is preparing for provincial elections amid ongoing protests that have resulted in numerous fatalities. The elections, originally set for July 27, have been rescheduled due to security concerns; voting in the Mirpur division will proceed as planned, while Poonch division will vote on August 10, and Muzaffarabad on August 2. Protests have been fueled by demands to eliminate reserved seats for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir, with a significant boycott movement emerging as a response to the absence of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee from the ballot.

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