Formal talks between the Jammu Kashmir Awami Action Committee (JKAAC) and the government have resumed in Muzaffarabad following a wave of violent protests that left nine people dead, including three police personnel, and injured more than 100. The second round of negotiations began shortly after Friday prayers, with a delegation sent on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif engaging representatives of the action committee.
The unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has paralyzed daily life, as shutdowns and wheel-jam strikes continue in the state capital. The JKAAC earlier issued a 38-point charter of demands, which includes abolishing 12 reserved seats for refugees and rolling back what they call “elite privileges.”
Government negotiators in the JKAAC talks in Muzaffarabad included Federal Ministers Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Amir Muqam, Ahsan Iqbal, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Rana Sanaullah. On the other side, the action committee delegation featured senior Kashmiri leaders such as Sardar Masood Khan and Sardar Yousaf.
One of the immediate demands raised by the committee was the restoration of internet services. Officials confirmed that several of the demands in the public interest have already been accepted, while others requiring constitutional amendments will need further deliberation.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry assured the committee that the government supports the rights of Kashmiri people and urged for disputes to be resolved through dialogue rather than confrontation.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarrar elaborated on the legal complexities tied to the demand for ending reserved seats, stressing that voters displaced from Kashmir still retain ties to their constituencies. He warned that abrupt constitutional changes could undermine the broader Kashmir cause and emphasized the need for a comprehensive package with consensus from all Kashmiri leadership.
Tarrar added that there is no constitutional provision for a referendum in AJK and cautioned against hasty measures that could create lasting political and social challenges.