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Pakistan's ruling party leads in Kashmir vote despite boycott call by banned group
['Abc News']
ABC News: International
Mughal)ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan’s ruling party has taken a commanding lead in elections for the legislative assembly in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, results from the first two phases of voting showed on Wednesday, despite weeks of protests and calls for a boycott by a banned political group.
It marks the party’s return to power in Pakistan-administered Kashmir after a decade.
The JAAC argues the seats give disproportionate political influence to people living outside Pakistan-administered Kashmir and has demanded they be abolished.
Many have lived in Pakistan’ for decades, while others later moved to Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Authorities often accuse JAAC supporters of trying to disrupt the election and alleged that members of the Pakistani Taliban had infiltrated the protests.