AJK flare-up

“MATTERS have worsened in the stand-off between the Azad Kashmir government and the Joint Awami Action Committee, which has recently been proscribed by the regional administration. The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers on Saturday. The following day protesters and LEAs clashed outside a Rawalakot hospital where the victim’s body was brought, resulting in the deaths of at least four policemen and seven protesters. This unfortunate series of events echoes similar confrontations between the AJK government and JAAC over the past few years, where dialogue over protesters’ demands has alternated with deadly violence. The region is particularly on edge as the JAAC has called for a major strike today. With the proscription of the group and the deaths in clashes with the administration, emotions are high all round and better sense is required across the board to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. At the core of the dilemma is the JAAC’s call for abolition of refugee seats for those who left India-occupied Kashmir and settled in AJK. Indeed, the AJK government’s banning of the JAAC has not helped matters, and has only raised the temperature. To prevent further confrontation, the AJK government should reconsider the ban, though investigations are required into the killing of the policemen and the deaths of the protesters. This paper has argued that bans targeting popular movements are undemocratic, and have, throughout history, failed to suppress dissenting voices. At the other end, the JAAC, too, should take a less hard-line position. While the group had earlier called for civic and governance reforms, it is now demanding constitutional changes, such as the abolition of refugee seats. These delicate constitutional matters must be decided in the House, after thorough debate by all sides. In fact, as the AJK Supreme Court has said in its opinion on a reference sent to it by the region’s president regarding the refugee seats, constitutional changes can only be achieved “by an assembly possessed of the full democratic mandate of the people, after deliberation” and cannot be “wrested from a government under duress”. Therefore, both sides need to de-escalate. The authorities should reconsider the JAAC ban, while JAAC supporters must keep all protest peaceful, and take their demand for constitutional change to the AJK legislature. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

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