New Delhi, July 27 — The electoral process in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has come under intense scrutiny, with widespread allegations that the Pakistan military is attempting to influence and manipulate the polls.

The military has long been accused of shaping political outcomes in PoK, and many residents believe this election will be no different, expecting continued interference in the democratic process.

An official said there was little doubt that the military would seek to influence the outcome, as it would prefer a compliant government in PoK after the recent wave of protests that exposed and embarrassed the country's security establishment.

The official said the military would prefer the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to retain power in PoK and would likely try to engineer its victory, as it is comfortable working with the party. The PML-N leads Pakistan's federal government, and its leadership has often been accused of acting at the military's behest.

The Awami Action Committee (AAC), which has been spearheading protests in PoK for more than two months, has called for a boycott of the elections. It has dismissed the entire electoral process as a sham and accused the powerful military of manipulating political outcomes not only in PoK but across Pakistan.

The Opposition has questioned the credibility of the electoral process in PoK, despite the administration's assertion that all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure the elections are conducted independently and fairly.

The AAC, which has been demanding basic infrastructure and development for PoK, has asked the people to stay away from the elections. They say that the polls will be rigged and hence there is no meaning in voting.

The AAC has also described the electoral process as a predetermined exercise with a pre-decided outcome. Ahead of polling, the authorities have banned political rallies and public gatherings, citing security concerns. They maintain that the restrictions are necessary to ensure the voting process is conducted peacefully and without disruption.

Pakistan observers say the first phase of the elections will be crucial, as it is expected to set the tone for the rest of the polling process. They believe voter turnout will be a key indicator of public confidence in the electoral system. A low turnout, they argue, would suggest that many people have lost faith in the process.

“A large majority of the people of PoK have stood in solidarity with the AAC during the protests. In fact, the protests this time around have clearly shown that nearly 90 per cent of the people of this region are fed up with the establishment,” experts point out.

The first phase of polling in PoK is being held on Monday, with more than 1.4 million registered voters eligible to cast their ballots. Voting is taking place across 13 Assembly constituencies in the districts of Bhimber, Mirpur and Kotli. More than 2,500 polling stations have been set up for the exercise.

The PoK government has appealed to voters to participate in large numbers and has declared a public holiday on polling day. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) are among the major parties in the fray. Around 300 candidates are contesting the 13 seats going to the polls in the first phase of the elections.

Of the 300 candidates, 135 are battling from Kotli, which has six seats. In Mirpur and Bhimber, there are 750,000 voters, who will decide the outcome of seven seats.

An official claimed that the electoral process in PoK is merely an eyewash, claiming that the outcome has already been decided by the Pakistan military.

The military under Field Marshal Asim Munir has been instrumental in ensuring that the government of Pakistan does not yield to the demands being made by the people of PoK. The army would like to have complete control over the political landscape of PoK so that it can crush any future protests by might, the official said.

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