AJK Elections: Interior Ministry finalises deployment of 16,800 personnel

ISLAMABAD, July 25: The federal government has decided to deploy 16,800 security personnel from across Pakistan to maintain law and order during the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, ARY News reported.

According to an official circular issued by the Ministry of Interior, all relevant departments have been directed to ensure the timely deployment of security personnel.

The force will include 15 Superintendents of Police (SPs) and 48 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), who will also be sent to Azad Kashmir to oversee election security arrangements.

Punjab will contribute the largest contingent, with 14,000 police personnel. Sindh will send 2,000 officers, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will deploy 500, Balochistan 200, and Gilgit-Baltistan 100 personnel.

The circular states that 30% of the deployed force will be armed, while the remaining 70% will be equipped with batons for election duty.

The Punjab contingent will include personnel from the Punjab Highway Patrol, Riot Management Force, Punjab Constabulary, and district police.

Also Read: AJK Legislative Assembly Elections 2026 – What You Need To Know

Earlier, the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) had announced that the upcoming general elections will be held in three phases to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process.

According to the schedule, polling will take place in Mirpur on July 27, Muzaffarabad on August 2, and Poonch on August 10. The election results will also be announced in phases.

Chief Election Commissioner of AJK said the phased approach had been adopted to maintain a secure and orderly environment during the elections.

Addressing concerns about security, the Chief Election Commissioner said the military is deployed only when the situation goes beyond the control of civilian authorities. He added that it would not be accurate to describe the current security situation in Azad Kashmir as severely unstable.

He acknowledged that there had been concerns and speculation that the elections might be postponed due to the prevailing circumstances. However, he emphasized that the Election Commission had decided to proceed with phased polling to safeguard transparency and ensure a peaceful voting process.