Srinagar, Aug. 11 -- The third phase of elections in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has once again exposed the uncomfortable reality behind the region's democratic facade. An election is meaningful only when voters can exercise their choice freely, without fear, coercion or the shadow of force. When polling takes place under the barrel of a gun, democracy becomes little more than a ritual. The people of PoJK deserve much more than periodic ballots. They deserve institutions that respect their political rights, protect dissent and allow them to question those in power without intimidation. Elections cannot be reduced to the mere act of casting votes while the broader political environment remains constrained by pressure and fea...