- Protest leaders accuse the government of using delay tactics; offices and schools are closed today.
- Zardari and Shehbaz appeal for calm and support the “genuine” demands of the action committee. The prime minister summons a meeting today.
ISLAMABAD/MUZAFFARABAD: The protest movement resumed its march on Muzaffarabad as President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised to attend to the “genuine demands” of protesters in Azad Kashmir. However, an agreement between the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee and the AJK government remained elusive.
Relative quiet prevailed in the area a day after a policeman was killed in clashes between demonstrators and the authorities. In the divisions of Muzaffarabad and Poonch, public transportation was suspended, while business centers remained closed. There was a partial strike in Mirpur.
Following a deadlock in negotiations between the AJK Chief Secretary Dawood Bareach and the JAAC core committee in Rawalakot, the movement declared its intention to march on the state capital. This led a Rawalakot protest leader to accuse the government of using deceptive methods.
Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri from Rawalakot, Imtiaz Aslam from Kotli, Ghulam Mujtaba from Bagh, Raja Amjad Ali Khan, Mujtaba Banday, and Shaukat Nawaz Mir were among the participants in the meeting.
Sardar Umar Nazir Kashmiri said that no progress had been made during the meeting in a video clip that was released after it. “No one notification was sent regarding any matter. He said that there was dishonesty, fraud, lies, delay tactics, and evasion. Following the video, Rawalakot’s loudspeakers urged the demonstrators to continue walking toward the capital.
Government offices and educational institutions will be closed on Monday (today) due to the protests.
Mr. Kashmiri did not hold back in an earlier video message when he declared that the JAAC would not be won over by “mere promises,” but would instead get accurate notifications about the approval of their demands.
The JAAC representatives informed Dawn, under condition of anonymity, that they had anticipated a successful conclusion from the negotiations with the government prior to the announcements. The people was asked not to plan rallies or confront the police in light of these expectations.
The state capital’s vital companies stayed open for three hours in the afternoon, from 3 to 6, but there weren’t many cars on the roads that were littered with rocks.
Similar incidents were recorded from Rawalakot, where very few automobiles were observed on the highways, with the exception of those transporting activists from the districts of Mirpur, Kotli, Bhimber, Sudhnoti, and portions of Poonch.
According to the rights movement’s schedule, demonstrations from Poonch and Mirpur division will gather in Rawalakot before continuing on to Muzaffarabad. Locals were observed lining the streets to greet the guests.
When social media claims and video footage of three battalions of Rangers entering the AJK area from Kohala to quell protests went viral, tensions erupted. However, the paramilitary force withdrew.
While traveling to Rawalakot at the time, Shaukat Nawaz Mir hailed the Rangers’ return as a “very commendable move.” Late-night rumors, however, suggested that the Rangers had returned to AJK territory; again, this news could not be verified because the appropriate authorities were still unavailable for comment.
Zardari and Shehbaz call for discussion
In separate meetings to assess the state of affairs in AJK, the president and premier advised all parties involved to use moderation and settle the disputes through discussion.
According to a statement released by the Presidency, President Zardari asked the parties involved to settle the disputes via communication and mutual consultation.
In order to prevent “hostile elements” from taking advantage of the situation, he continued, the political parties, government agencies, and the people of AJK should all act responsibly.
When a delegation of PPP members of the AJK Legislative Assembly paid him a visit at the Presidency, the president shared his opinions with them.
“A peaceful path of conduct”
In the meantime, Prime Minister Shehbaz conveyed his profound worry over the current state of affairs in AJK and urged all sides to pursue a peaceful resolution to their demands.
In addition, he called a meeting for today to talk about the current state of affairs in AJK.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz also spoke with the prime minister of AJK and instructed the local PML-N leaders to interact with the action committee.
The PM, in a post on X, conveyed his profound apprehension at the current state of affairs in AJK and urged all stakeholders to pursue a peaceful approach to address their demands.
The premier declared that breaking the law and causing damage to government property would not be tolerated.
He stated on X, “Unfortunately, there are always some who rush in to score political points in situations of chaos and dissent.”
He asserted, “The matter is expected to be settled soon, despite the efforts of detractors.”
