Federal Minister and political affairs advisor to the Prime Minister, Rana Sanaullah, said on Sunday that individuals attempting to destabilize the state would be held accountable for their actions, as the final phase of the Azad Kashmir elections 2026 drew to a close.
Speaking at a press conference, Sanaullah stated that those who take up arms, mislead the public, or work to derail the Jammu and Kashmir freedom movement will not escape legal consequences. He urged groups currently staging sit-ins to call off their demonstrations, arguing that this would allow the remaining constituencies to hold their by-elections and let elected representatives take their seats in the assembly without further delay.
Protest Groups Failed to Suppress Turnout, Says Sanaullah
According to the minister, those behind the ongoing sit-ins have not succeeded in discouraging voters from exercising their right to franchise. He noted that with polling concluding on the day of the briefing, all three stages of the Azad Kashmir by-elections would officially be complete.
Sanaullah pushed back against claims of vote-rigging, saying that critics have yet to produce any concrete evidence to support their allegations. He argued that opposing voices have instead pointed to turnout figures of 80 to 85 percent as their sole basis for claiming manipulation, calling this argument insufficient on its own.
High Turnout Linked to Local Community Structures
Addressing the voter turnout in Azad Kashmir, the minister explained that the region’s deep-rooted family and clan-based social structure makes elevated participation in certain areas unsurprising rather than suspicious. He pointed out that some polling stations recorded turnout as high as 80 percent, a pattern he attributed directly to these local kinship and community networks rather than irregularities.
Notably, Sanaullah added that similarly high turnout, exceeding 80 percent, was also recorded at polling stations and union councils associated with rival candidates, suggesting the pattern was not one-sided.
Government Formation to Follow Constitutional Process
Looking ahead, Sanaullah confirmed that the process of forming the Azad Kashmir assembly and government would move forward strictly in line with the mandate given by voters. He assured that once the electoral process concludes, all subsequent steps, including assembly formation and government setup, would be carried out according to constitutional procedure.
