Bilawal Bhutto urges AJK protesters to end demonstrations peacefully

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday appealed directly to protesters in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), urging them to end their demonstrations peacefully and bring their protest activities to a “peaceful conclusion”.

In a press release, Bilawal said the “imminent signing of the Islamabad accord marks a historic moment, adding that at a time when international spotlight is firmly on Pakistan, the ongoing unrest in AJK is damaging both the Kashmiri cause and Pakistan’s reputation”.

Tensions have been rising in AJK following recent deadly clashes that have led to competing narratives over casualties, governance grievances, and political legitimacy. Official sources have confirmed at least seven deaths.

He warned that the situation is also creating an “unnecessary opportunity” for hostile actors and the “India-Israel nexus” to exploit developments for their own purposes.

The PPP chairman called on those who have taken the law into their own hands to surrender to local authorities and allow due process to take its course.

He stressed that all political grievances and disagreements must be resolved through “democratic, constitutional and peaceful means,” saying Parliament and the political process, not the streets, are the appropriate forums for resolving such issues.

Bilawal noted that the PPP has already called on the Election Commission to withdraw its “premature election schedule,” reiterating the party’s commitment to pursuing a political solution.

He said the party would seek to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address outstanding grievances and move the process towards a “just and lasting conclusion,” adding that the people of Kashmir should not be subjected to repeated cycles of protest and uncertainty.

He added that if all stakeholders, including the federal government, are in agreement, the AJK government could review notifications issued in relation to protesting parties at an appropriate time.

Reiterating a balance between accountability and fairness, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said there can be no compromise on the rule of law or on holding unlawful actors accountable, but stressed that individuals who have done nothing wrong must not suffer the consequences of others’ actions.

Read: AJK SC Bar Association warns violators of peace, calls for immediate surrender

Meanwhile, the PPP Azad Kashmir core committee has demanded that the Election Commission withdraw the current election schedule, calling for immediate consultations in light of the prevailing situation.

Addressing a press conference, PPP Azad Kashmir President Chaudhry Yasin said that “saving the state is the top priority” in the current circumstances, stressing that the party’s politics has always revolved around the Kashmir issue.

He recalled that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto highlighted the Kashmir cause at the global level, while adding that over the past seven months, efforts were made to resolve public issues and restore democratic processes.

Chaudhry Yasin said that while security personnel were martyred, civilians were also affected by the evolving situation. He criticised the hurried announcement of the schedule for migrant seats, saying it was issued only days before the protest call, which was not appropriate.

He noted that during negotiations, most demands of the Public Action Committee had been accepted, claiming that “37 out of 38 demands” were already implemented, while only the constitutional matter of migrant seats remained under discussion.

He said alternative constitutional and legal options exist regarding migrant representation, and added that a one-week extension was sought from the committee but was not accepted. In the current situation, he said, holding elections on migrant seats appears difficult.

Chaudhry Yasin urged the Election Commission to withdraw the schedule and continue the consultation process, saying PPP is not in favour of confrontation or conflict. He warned that hostile forces, including India, could take advantage of the situation.

He stressed that “12 migrant seats are not more valuable than human lives,” adding that solutions must be found through dialogue, political consensus and democratic process. He also pointed to emerging shortages of essential goods in Azad Kashmir, saying the region is facing serious uncertainty.

Other senior leaders present included former Prime Minister Sardar Yaqoob Khan, Information Secretary Javed Ayub, Senior Minister Mian Wahid, Javed Budhanvi, Sardar Zia-ul-Qamar, Chaudhry Qasim Majeed and Yasir Sultan.

AJK protests

The recent unrest and deadly clashes in areas, including Rawalakot, where the newly proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had been holding a sit-in outside the Combined Military Hospital Rawalakot. AJK police allege that armed JAAC members opened fire on deployed law enforcement in a planned attack, leaving four personnel dead and around 20 injured. JAAC, however, disputes this account, claiming security forces used tear gas and fired shells toward the hospital.

According to the AJK police, three individuals linked to the JAAC and four law enforcement personnel were killed during the protests on Sunday. JAAC, however, said in a statement on X that seven individuals were killed and dozens were injured when street firing was carried out in the dark after electricity was allegedly cut off.

The clash on Sunday came as the AJK government and the JAAC witnessed a face-off, as the election date for AJK was announced for July 27.

Read More: Certain elements seeking to create instability in AJK despite repeated offers of dialogue: Rana Sanaullah

AJK’s 53-member legislative assembly includes 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees — people who fled Indian-controlled Kashmir in 1947 and 1965 and are now scattered across Pakistan. Six seats represent refugees from the Jammu division (~434,000 people) and six from the Kashmir Valley (~30,000 people) — an already lopsided arrangement that many see as unfair.

The region witnessed one of its most turbulent periods in October last year when protests led by the JAAC erupted over demands for constitutional and governance reforms. At least nine people, including three policemen, were killed during the unrest.

The JAAC, which organised the protests and strike, had presented a wide-ranging charter of demands, including an end to the privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees, and the scrapping of the quota system.

Two days after the violence, the government and the JAAC reached an agreement covering 12 core and 13 additional points. Under the accord, both sides agreed to constitute a high-level committee to examine the issue of refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.

Read More: Four police personnel martyred, over 20 injured in Rawalakot firing: AJK police

The unrest also triggered political upheaval in the region. The PPP subsequently moved a no-confidence resolution against then Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz joining the effort. Haq, who had been elected in April 2023 with 48 votes, chose to face the vote rather than resign.

On Nov 17, Rathore secured 36 votes in the election and became the 16th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

With elections now approaching and the refugee seat issue still unresolved, the AJK government convened an All Parties Conference (APC) in Muzaffarabad to build consensus. Almost every major party attended — except PTI and the JAAC, who boycotted it.

The JAAC’s position is that the government had already rejected its written proposals submitted on May 30, so attending would be futile. It had proposed either keeping symbolic refugee representation until the Kashmir dispute is permanently resolved, or replacing the 12 assembly seats with 4 seats in the AJK Council — a body chaired by the Prime Minister, which it argued would better preserve the political dimension of the Kashmir cause.

The APC rejected any changes outside the constitutional and legislative framework, saying only the elected assembly could alter refugee seat arrangements. The JAAC called the resolution “a page and a half of utterly trivial lines” and accused participants of gathering to serve their own interests rather than the public’s.