Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq and Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Wednesday invited the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to dialogue in a bid to ease the unrest triggered by protests in the region, which left three policemen dead.
A three-day shutter-down strike has paralysed AJK under a communications blackout, as JAAC presses its demands after talks with the AJK government and federal ministers broke down last week over elite privileges and reserved seats for refugees. Rival groups have since staged protests, trading blame for violence that marred what began as a largely peaceful movement.
Addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad today, the AJK PM said that negotiations were a “civilised” way to achieve rights and that the government had invited the JAAC back to the table.
“This is a request to start from where the talks broke down,” Haq said. “Whenever it suits you, wherever the JAAC wants to talk, the state government is ready for talks. My ministers are ready in Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Mirpur.”
The AJK PM stated that the territory has to “avoid chaos”.
“I said in 19 talk shows that you are not an organised political force,” Haq said, addressing the protesters. “There are nationalists and violent elements among you. Violence and brandishing sticks are not right in any way.”
The AJK PM also expressed grief over the deaths of three policemen and injuries to over 100 others during the protests. He also mentioned that a school in Plak had been burned, stating that he had earlier said “this protest would not be peaceful”.
“The people responsible for the Public Action Committee should end this protest and come to talks,” Haq said. “Nothing will be achieved through violence and chaos; it does not achieve the goal.”
Haq expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for sending two federal ministers for negotiations and affirmed that the talks have not failed.
“Around 90 per cent of the demands have been accepted and there is no issue of concessions,” he said, adding that reforms can be made in the judiciary through legislation.
“There is a deadlock on the seats of the refugees, which cannot end in the context of the Kashmir freedom movement,” Haq clarified.
Chaudhry, on the other hand, said that he had been in touch with the AJK government and that PM Shehbaz had made it “his duty” to resolve the issues in the territory.
“We talked to the members of the Public Action Committee along with the Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan in Muzaffarabad,” the federal minister said. “We accepted 90pc of their demands and both federal ministers would guarantee that their implementation would be ensured.”
Chaudhry added that the AJK inspector general of police was asked to cancel the previous protest cases and that demands regarding electricity and the local government had been accepted.
“An agreement was written, in which the members of the committee also made corrections. The agreement was written according to their satisfaction,” Chaudhry said.
“Then, two demands were made: the abolition of seats held by refugees of occupied-Kashmir and a reduction in the number of ministers. It was said that this is the authority of the Legislative Assembly.”
Chaudhry added that there had been separate issues since September 29 and that calls for protests were not necessary.
“We have not ended negotiations; we still invite the committee to speak with us,” he stated.
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