• PM Shehbaz sends a team of eight members to Muzaffarab
• Call peace, orders restriction by Leas, seeks probe in deaths
• AJK paralyzed for the fourth day of strike, communications blackout
• Funerals in muzaffrabad galvanize the crowds; The locals demand justice for alleged shots of the police
MUZAFFARABAD: A high -level government delegation maintained negotiations with a civil society alliance in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday after days of fierce clashes between Protestants and agents of the law that have left at least 10 people dead and are critically injured.
The eight -member committee, sent by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, includes federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Amir Muqam, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Rana Sanaullah and Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, along with the PPP Raja Pervez Ashraf and Qamar Zaman Kaira, and the former president of Ajk Masood Khan
They were accompanied by Ajk Chaudhry Anwarul Haq’s prime minister, who had stayed at Cashmira’s house in Islamabad during the last days.
The negotiations began in the Room of the Committee of the Office of the main secretary in the afternoon, with Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Raja Amjad Ali Khan and Anjum Zaman Awan of the Muzampharabad division that represents the Awami Jammu Kashmir Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), which has been converting the movement for rights in the territory.
However, the main members of the other two divisions, Poonch and Mirpur, could not immediately join the negotiations since they were far from the capital.
The sources said that the Trio Muzaffrabad, along with other main members, went to Dhirkot, where his colleagues from Poonch and Mirpur had already met for consultations. The meeting continued late on Thursday night and was expected to resume conversations with the Government’s High Level Committee on Friday morning.
A strike has paralyzed Azad Jammu and Kashmir under a communications blackout after conversations about elite privileges and reserved refugee seats collapsed between the JKJAAC, the AJK government and federal ministers, causing protests and violence. On Wednesday, AJK’s prime minister and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry invited the Alliance for a new dialogue.
On Thursday, the entire region observed a complete strike of blinds and wheel jam for the fourth consecutive day, under a dwelling of incessant communications imposed since Monday. No new violence incidents were reported.
Although government offices and banks technically remained open, assistance was insignificant. Interestingly, many government officials avoided using official travel vehicles and, instead, preferred to walk or wear rented motorcycles.
‘Pakistan enemies’
Before the delegation went to the capital of AJK, Muzaffrabad, the members of the Government’s negotiation committee spoke with the media in Islamabad and emphasized the need for the dialogue to end the disturbances that has taken over aims over the last three days, Dawn.com reported.
Planning Minister Ahsan IQBAL said the government should play its role to address AJK problems. However, he added that given the current situation in the region and the world, some “elements would like to disturb peace and stability in Pakistan to boost their agendas.”
He said that the government was still committed to solving AJK’s problems, but they should also take into account that such a situation was not being created, that Pakistan’s enemies “could take advantage of.
AJK’s prime minister, Haq, thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz for issuing directives for sending a “high -level delegation” for restarting conversations in the region and expressed hope that JKJAAC members also work to end the alley in the negotiations between the two sides.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said: “We are all sad and worried about the situation. We do everything possible to meet the just demands of the people of Kashmir and we take them out of the current situation as soon as possible as the enemies of Pakistan and Kashmir would have their own objectives.”
Rana Sanaullah also emphasized that “violence is not the solution” for any problem. He said they intended to resolve matters in accordance with the law and the Constitution, ensuring the restoration and maintenance of peace.
Amir Muqam also thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz for addressing the problem. “We want the protest and difficulties of the people of Kashmir to end. We hope that [JKJAAC] The members would consider this … and interact with us for the conversations. “
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also shared similar points of view. The Interior Ministry also called an important meeting in Islamabad on Thursday to consider the steps to calm the situation.
PM asks for peace
According to a statement issued by the office of the Prime Minister in Early X on Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz had ordered the negotiation committee to immediately proceed to Muzaffrabad.
According to the statement, the prime minister expressed a deep concern about the situation of the law and order in AJK, since the violent protests on Wednesday left three dead police. He urged citizens to remain peaceful and instructed the law enforcement agencies to show restrictions.
“The prime minister has made a great call to citizens to remain peaceful. He has urged the peaceful protest to be the constitutional and democratic right of each citizen, but protesters must refrain from causing damage to public order.”
The prime minister also directed that the agencies of application of the law exercise restriction and patience with the protesters.
“The prime minister has said that respect for public feelings must be guaranteed, and any unnecessary hardness should be avoided,” said the statement, added that the government was always ready to address the problems of its Kashmir brothers.
Expressing “deep concern about the unfortunate incidents during protests,” the prime minister ordered transparent investigation into the matter.
Funerals in muzaffrabad
Early in the day, hundreds of people gathered at the Khurshid football stadium and the famous Lala Chowk of the capital of AJK to attend the funerals of two people murdered in an alleged shot of the police in Muzaffrabad.
When heading to the mourners, Mir de Jkjaac updated the crowd in the last developments, promising that the fight would continue until the acceptance of the key demands.
These include the abolition of 12 seats of refugees, withdrawal of elite privileges, implementing a decision of the Superior Court of June 2019 with respect to the agreements on energy projects in AJK and the provision of health cards.
He stressed that before discussing these issues, the alliance would demand the immediate arrest and the exemplary punishment of those responsible for killing “unarmed protesters” in Muzaffrabad, Dhirkot and other AJK areas.
He also sought a public mandate to participate in negotiations with the Official Committee, promising that there would be no commitment to the rights of people.
Kohala’s reports, a border city about 35 km away, said thousands of people from the southern Ajk districts had arrived there at night.
A source said Sunrise That Jkjaac’s leaders had ordered the crowd to wait in Kohala to new instructions after the conclusion of their consultations.
Posted in Dawn, October 3, 2025
