The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government stated on Tuesday that it will pursue legal action against leaders of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) if they surrender, following a period of civil unrest that resulted in at least four law enforcement deaths and 97 injuries. Officials maintain the group is responsible for violent attacks and attempts to destabilize the region, while the JAAC disputes the government’s account of the clashes.
Government stance on the unrest
AJK Chief Secretary Khushal Khan and Inspector General of Police (IG) Liaqat Ali Malik held a joint press conference to outline the state’s position. According to Khan, the government implemented 36 of 38 demands made by the JAAC, including subsidized electricity, which cost the exchequer between Rs20 billion and Rs25 billion. Khan stated that the committee “chose to sabotage” the implementation process by introducing new demands, including the removal of advance income tax, which he noted would have caused a Rs35 billion revenue loss. IGP Malik reported that 572 suspects have been arrested, 145 cases have been registered, and 155 individuals have been placed under the fourth schedule in connection with the violence.
The dispute over reserved seats
A primary point of contention remains the 12 legislative assembly seats reserved for refugees who settled in Pakistan after 1947. According to Chief Secretary Khan, the JAAC demanded these seats be abolished before continuing any dialogue. The government proposed three alternatives—an all-parties conference, a Supreme Court referral, or legislative debate—all of which were rejected by the committee. The government further alleges that the JAAC’s demands expanded to include removing the “accession to Pakistan” clause from the AJK Interim Constitution and revisiting the 1949 Karachi Agreement, which the government characterizes as an effort to undermine the region’s administrative connection to Pakistan.
Conflicting accounts of casualties
There is a stark contrast between official reports and claims made by the JAAC regarding recent fatalities. AJK police records state that four law enforcement personnel were killed and 20 were injured, with three individuals linked to the JAAC also reported dead. Conversely, the JAAC stated on X that seven individuals were killed and dozens injured, alleging that security forces fired into crowds after cutting off electricity. The unrest, which includes a sit-in outside the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalakot, escalated as the region approaches the July 27 election date.
Potential for future negotiations
A pathway to renewed negotiations may be opening, as AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore confirmed the JAAC has sought mediation from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. In a video message shared by the Prime Minister, Fazl confirmed he received a letter from JAAC leaders and requested time to facilitate talks. While the government maintains it has always been open to dialogue, the Prime Minister noted that the situation “required no mediation until they decided to bully the state.” If the JAAC chooses to abandon its campaign of agitation as requested by the JUI-F leader, a resumption of formal discussions could become possible, though the government has conditioned any leniency on the voluntary surrender of those involved in the violence.
