The federal government has reached an agreement with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to end unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) after several days of violent protests and tense negotiations. The breakthrough came following marathon talks in Muzaffarabad aimed at defusing tensions that had paralysed the region.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced on X that the government’s negotiation team had “signed the final agreement” with the JAAC. He confirmed that the protesters were dispersing, roads were reopening, and peace was being restored calling it a “victory of peace” for the people of AJK.
The agreement between the federal government and JAAC to end AJK unrest follows two consecutive days of talks between high-level officials and committee leaders, who had been demonstrating against elite privileges and the reserved seats system for refugees from Indian-occupied Kashmir. The week-long protests had turned violent, leaving at least 10 people dead and dozens injured in fierce clashes with law enforcement agencies.
According to the signed accord shared by Minister Chaudhry, the agreement includes 12 key decisions and 13 additional points. A Monitoring and Implementation Committee will now be formed to ensure the timely execution of these decisions. This body will consist of representatives from the federal and AJK governments, along with members of the JAAC, and will oversee dispute resolution, the rationalisation of privileges, and resource-based timelines for reforms.
Federal ministers Amir Muqam, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, Sardar Yousaf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf, as well as former AJK president Masood Khan, represented the government. The AJK government delegation included Education Minister Diwan Ali Chughtai and Local Government Minister Faisal Rathore. On behalf of the JAAC, Raja Amjad, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, and Anjum Zaman Awan signed the agreement.
The deal marks an end to a crippling week-long strike that had led to a communications blackout and widespread shutdowns across AJK. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the outcome, calling it a testament to unity and dialogue. He said that “all conspiracies and rumours now stand buried” and that the government remained committed to protecting the rights and interests of the Kashmiri people.
“The government is always ready to address the concerns of our Kashmiri brothers,” the premier stated, urging citizens to reject misinformation and trust that their constitutional rights “will always be protected.