Bilawal calls for talks on AJK crisis as govt claims 35 of 38 JAAC demands met

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said he will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the worsening political situation in Azad Jammu and

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said he will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the worsening political situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), stressing that all disputes should be resolved through dialogue and parliamentary channels.

Chairing a meeting of the PPP AJK parliamentary party in Islamabad, Bilawal expressed concern over rising tensions in the region and reaffirmed that the party prioritises the rights and issues of Kashmiris. Party leaders, including Faryal Talpur, briefed him on the evolving situation and provided recommendations for political engagement.

The statement comes amid heightened unrest in AJK following the government’s decision to declare the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed organisation, ahead of its planned protest on June 9. The group is campaigning against the 12 refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly, which it claims are used to influence governance, while elections in the region are scheduled for June 27.

Authorities have carried out arrests of several JAAC leaders and deployed additional paramilitary forces to support local law enforcement, citing security concerns. Visitors have also been advised to delay travel to the region until June 20.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry rejected claims of government inaction, asserting that 35 out of 38 demands raised by JAAC have already been implemented under previous agreements.

He said remaining issues were either pending court decisions or required broader political consultation, not street protests. The minister warned against “negative propaganda” and said violence could not be a substitute for dialogue.

Chaudhry also questioned the intent behind renewed protests, suggesting they could damage Pakistan-AJK relations and deepen divisions among Kashmiri communities. He reiterated that issues such as refugee representation should be debated in the assembly or referred to the courts.

He added that the government has consistently engaged with JAAC through negotiations and monthly review meetings, and development-related demands were either completed or in progress but could not be resolved immediately.