ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday voiced serious concern over the deteriorating situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and ordered a transparent inquiry into the recent violent incidents. He appealed to citizens to maintain peace as protests across the region entered their fourth consecutive day, marked by shutter-down strikes and wheel-jam blockades.
A high-level delegation of the federal government is currently in Muzaffarabad to hold talks with the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in a renewed effort to defuse tensions. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry confirmed the development on social media, stating that formal dialogue had commenced between both sides.
The prime minister reaffirmed that peaceful protest is the democratic right of all citizens but urged demonstrators to avoid actions that disrupt public order. He directed law enforcement agencies to act with restraint, respect public sentiments, and refrain from excessive use of force. Sharif further instructed authorities to provide immediate relief to families affected by the unrest and ordered an impartial investigation into the violence.
To bolster negotiations, the prime minister expanded the government’s dialogue committee, adding Senator Rana Sanaullah, Federal Ministers Sardar Yousaf and Ahsan Iqbal, former AJK president Masood Khan, and PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira. The delegation has been tasked with traveling to Muzaffarabad immediately to work toward a durable solution.
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Background of the Crisis
The unrest began on Monday when rival protest groups clashed, leaving one person dead and multiple injured. A police officer was among the wounded, while a communications blackout further fuelled uncertainty across the region. Mobile and internet services have remained suspended since Sunday afternoon.
The JAAC had called for a region-wide strike after its demands were reportedly ignored by authorities. Tensions escalated when a peace rally led by Muslim Conference leader Raja Saqib Majeed confronted JAAC demonstrators near Neelum Bridge, resulting in fatal violence.
Despite initial invitations from both the federal and AJK governments for dialogue, sporadic clashes persisted. Reports on Wednesday indicated that three police personnel were killed amid ongoing confrontations.
At a joint press conference with AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry revealed that the AJK government had accepted 90 percent of the JAAC’s demands. However, negotiations reached a deadlock over two contentious issues — the abolition of reserved seats for migrants and the reduction of ministries in the AJK government — both requiring constitutional amendments.
As talks resume, the region remains paralyzed by a combination of strikes, mobility restrictions, and communication disruptions, with hopes now pinned on the success of the current negotiations.
