Government and banned action committee reach agreement, march toward Muzaffarabad postponed

Negotiations between the government and the banned Action Committee have reached a successful conclusion, resulting in the postponement of the committee’s planned march toward Muzaffarabad.

According to reports, the banned Action Committee has decided to delay its march until July 21 following assurances from the government regarding the resolution of its demands. A leader of the committee stated that if their demands are not accepted and practical steps are not taken by the authorities, the march will begin on July 22.

The government has assured representatives of the banned Action Committee that their concerns will be addressed and efforts will be made to find solutions through dialogue. The development comes after several rounds of discussions aimed at preventing further tension and reaching an understanding between both sides.

Earlier, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had appealed to the banned Awami Action Committee to avoid taking any further action for the time being and provide a few days’ time so that progress could be made through negotiations.

In a message addressed to the banned Awami Action Committee, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the organization had been staging a sit-in in Rawalakot and surrounding areas for nearly a month to demand acceptance of its demands from the government.

He acknowledged that some unpleasant incidents had occurred during the protest, which created tension and increased bitterness between the involved parties. However, he noted that the demands and concerns raised by the banned Awami Action Committee had also been discussed in the parliament.

The JUI-F chief said that the banned Awami Action Committee had requested him to play the role of a mediator in resolving the dispute. He expressed gratitude to the committee for placing trust in him and allowing him to facilitate communication between the government and protesters.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman added that Maulana Saeed Yousuf Khan of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Azad Jammu and Kashmir, along with Rawalakot-based tribal figure Kamran Azam Khan, remained in contact with him during the discussions.

He said that he avoided announcing any further steps while negotiations were ongoing with both the government and the banned Action Committee. He also revealed that he had spoken with Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who was present in Muzaffarabad and was also working toward finding a solution to the matter.

According to Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Bilawal Bhutto was actively engaged in efforts to resolve the issue but required some additional time to hold discussions with government representatives. He said that he had met Bilawal Bhutto approximately one week to ten days earlier and that further communication had continued afterward.

The JUI-F leader said Bilawal Bhutto wanted to prevent violence, bloodshed, and unrest, and hoped that a solution could be reached through peaceful dialogue and negotiations.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman emphasized that positive progress was extremely important for strengthening mutual trust between the people of Pakistan and Kashmir. He expressed hope that the banned Awami Action Committee would respond positively to his appeal and continue cooperating in efforts to resolve the matter peacefully.

The agreement between the government and the committee is being viewed as a step toward reducing tensions, with both sides now focusing on negotiations and addressing outstanding demands through dialogue rather than confrontation.