MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government and major political parties have expressed serious concerns over the protest campaign announced by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), stating that taking to the streets despite the acceptance of most of its demands is against the public interest.
According to an official statement, the government has accepted 35 of the committee’s 38 demands, while significant progress has also been made on several other issues through dialogue and implementation measures.
The government emphasized that the declaration adopted at the All Parties Conference (APC) has been endorsed by the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly, the highest representative forum of the people. It said decisions made by the assembly cannot be overturned through street pressure.
The statement noted that the government has pursued a policy of negotiations, relief and implementation, under which compensation worth millions of rupees has been provided to the families of those who lost their lives, financial assistance has been extended to the injured, subsidies on wheat have been maintained, open merit has been introduced in educational institutions, taxes on properties have been reduced, and laws have been aligned with accountability regulations.
The government maintained that the remaining demands, including issues related to the taxation and revenue system, refugee seats, and official privileges, are constitutional, financial and policy matters that can only be resolved through legal procedures and negotiations rather than agitation.
It further alleged that the JAAC had preferred confrontation over flexibility and dialogue, adding that any attempt to disrupt the electoral process scheduled for June 9 would be detrimental to democratic norms and institutions.
