JAAC boycotts APC as parties reject refugee seats proposal for AJK Assembly

The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on Wednesday boycotted an All Parties Conference (APC) convened by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government to discuss its demands, as the participants unanimously rejected its proposal to abolish refugee seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

The APC held at the Prime Minister’s House in Muzaffarabad lasted for more than six hours and was attended by almost all political and religious parties of the region, except the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the JAAC leadership, who boycotted the meeting despite being invited. A joint statement, based on a resolution adopted by consensus, was later read out by AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore before the media.

The JAAC confirmed that it had received an invitation from the AJK prime minister to attend the all-parties consultative meeting. However, it decided not to attend after the government rejected its proposal, which it termed an injustice to the people of the region.

“The position of the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee is clear. During the negotiations held on May 30, the proposal put forward by the governments of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir was rejected based on clear arguments,” it said in a statement.

The committee said that consulting those who benefitted from a structure based on "injustice, denial of fundamental rights and inequality amounted to rubbing salt into the wounds of ordinary people who had long been subjected to exploitation".

“Therefore, the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee stands by its decision not to participate in the meeting,” it said, adding that it hoped the prime minister and other responsible stakeholders would move towards serious and meaningful efforts to ensure full implementation of the agreement reached on October 4, 2025.

Responding to the APC declaration, JAAC Chairman Shaukat Nawaz Mir said the organisation did not recognise the conference and accused its participants of convening it to serve their own interests.

In a statement, Mir said there had been several occasions when an all-parties conference should have been convened, particularly on the Kashmir issue, and that political leaders should have issued a strong declaration in support of the cause.

“There were many occasions when they failed to convene an all-parties conference, but when it came to waving the cipher, all parties gathered because it was meant to serve their own interests,” he said.

Criticising the APC, Mir said it had never issued a declaration on the Kashmir issue despite developments affecting the disputed region.

“On August 5, a blow was dealt to the Kashmir issue, but the rulers remained silent. Instead, they fled the country, while some took refuge in Kashmir House,” he alleged.

Reiterating his call for a protest on June 9, Mir said large caravans from across the region would converge on Muzaffarabad.

“Very large caravans will reach Muzaffarabad on June 9, and they will be received by the honourable, courageous and self-respecting people of Muzaffarabad division,” he said.

AJK PM rejects extra-constitutional move

Earlier, briefing reporters, the AJK prime minister said the participants deliberated the issue in detail and concluded that no such step could be supported outside the constitutional and legislative framework in the larger interest of the public and the Kashmir liberation movement.

“The decision in this regard can only be taken through elected representatives in the assembly,” he said.

He said the JAAC leadership had been invited to the conference to discuss a possible framework for addressing their demands but chose not to attend, adding that they had already decided to launch an agitation even if their demands were met.

He said most of the JAAC’s demands had already been addressed, and that the leadership had been requested to postpone their planned June 9 protest to allow meaningful deliberations within legal and constitutional committees on sensitive matters such as refugee seats. However, he added, the request was not accepted.

“They were requested to postpone their protest for one day for meaningful deliberations, but they refused,” he said.

Rathore said the government would not use force against peaceful protesters and would facilitate them during demonstrations. “We will not use force against peaceful protesters and will provide them with facilities, including cold water, during hot weather conditions,” he added.

According to the resolution, leaders of the JAAC had also been invited to attend the meeting. However, despite waiting for their participation, the committee did not become part of the consultative and democratic process.

Also Read: AJK forms 20-member cabinet under pact with Awami Action Committee

The participants reiterated their commitment to democratic processes, constitutional continuity and state stability, describing these as essential for the future of AJK. The resolution stated that democratic continuity and constitutional governance formed the foundation of institutional stability and reaffirmed the resolve of political parties to strengthen democratic institutions and make them more effective and responsive.

It said political disagreement was a natural feature of democracy, but stressed that differences of opinion could not be allowed to weaken institutions or undermine governance and the democratic structure. The resolution called upon political parties, civil society organisations and public groups to promote tolerance, dialogue and peaceful political engagement, stating that responsible political conduct was essential for lasting peace in the region.

The APC reaffirmed full support for the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, pledging continued political, moral and diplomatic support for what it described as the legitimate freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people.

The conference strongly condemned alleged human rights violations by Indian forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and termed Indian hostile actions in the territory unacceptable. It also condemned the detention of Hurriyat leaders and Kashmiri political activists, and criticised what it described as India’s attempts to alter the demographic composition of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The resolution appreciated the role of national security institutions, describing them as an important pillar of stability in AJK. It is alleged that India was carrying out organised propaganda against state institutions through social media platforms and attempting to create misunderstandings between state institutions and democratic structures. The conference said efforts aimed at weakening public confidence in state institutions would not be tolerated.

On the issue of elections, the APC stated that general elections to the AJK Legislative Assembly would be held within the constitutionally mandated timeframe and in accordance with the law. The participants pledged to ensure that the electoral process remained free, fair, transparent, impartial and peaceful.

Read: PM Rathore rules out confrontation with JAAC

The resolution stated that all necessary administrative, legal and security arrangements would be put in place to ensure smooth elections and provide voters with an environment in which they could exercise their right to vote without fear, pressure or interference. It warned that any attempt to sabotage, delay or make the electoral process controversial would not be tolerated and would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

The conference stressed that maintaining continuity of the democratic process was a shared responsibility of all political forces.

The participants also paid tribute to refugees from Jammu and Kashmir for their sacrifices for the Kashmir freedom movement and the creation of Pakistan. The resolution described the representation of Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing in Pakistan as a historical and constitutional reality.

The conference acknowledged that certain electoral complications relating to refugee representation existed, but said these could be addressed through reforms acceptable to political parties and enacted through the Legislative Assembly in accordance with constitutional requirements.

It maintained that constitutional reforms fell within the exclusive mandate of elected representatives and should therefore be left to the Legislative Assembly. The APC called for consultations with political parties, bar associations, the bar council, civil society organisations and constitutional experts before any reforms were undertaken.

The participants agreed on the need to initiate a broad-based consultative process on constitutional reforms and emphasised that all political and constitutional issues should be resolved through dialogue, law, the Constitution and democratic institutions.

Concluding the meeting, the conference declared that there would be no compromise on democratic continuity, constitutional reforms and state stability in Azad Kashmir.

The conference was attended by a majority of political parties from Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan Muslim League leader Shah Ghulam Qadir, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Chaudhry Yasin, Muslim Conference leader Sardar Attiqueur Rehman, former prime ministers Sardar Farooq Haider Khan, Sardar Yaqoob Khan and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, as well as Ahmed Raza Qadri, Maulana Saeed Yousaf, Yasser Abbas Naqvi and Dr Ilyas.

‘Height of frivolity’, JAAC slams APC resolution

Responding to the APC's declaration, the JAAC issued a strongly worded statement, dismissing the resolution as insignificant and accusing the authorities of failing to effectively represent public interests during negotiations.

“The height of frivolity,” the statement said, describing the APC's declaration as “nothing more than a page and a half filled with utterly trivial lines”.

The committee alleged that state representatives had effectively surrendered both their authority and negotiating position, calling the situation “deeply frustrating”.

The statement further claimed that the all-party conference had intensified public resentment.

“Today's all-party conference has undoubtedly poured oil on the fire of public anger,” it said.

The JAAC also reiterated preparations for its planned June 9 protest, saying its members were present in all divisions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to coordinate the campaign.

The committee also reiterated a set of proposals it had submitted in writing to the negotiating teams of the governments of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir on May 30 regarding the representation of Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing in Pakistan.

According to the proposals, the committee argued that since the government's negotiating team had maintained that the Azad Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir represented the entire former princely state, symbolic representation for all regions of Jammu and Kashmir should continue in the AJK Legislative Assembly until a permanent resolution of the Kashmir dispute is reached.

As an alternative, the committee proposed abolishing the refugee seats reserved for Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing in Pakistan in the AJK Legislative Assembly and instead allocating four seats to refugee representatives in the AJK Council.

“Such an arrangement would preserve the political dimension of the Kashmir dispute, as the council is chaired by the prime minister of Pakistan,” it maintained.

The committee also proposed measures aimed at addressing concerns regarding the issuance of state subject certificates and protecting the employment rights of residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

It called for the verification of all state subject certificates in light of allegations raised by refugee organisations, saying that any fraudulent certificates should be cancelled while genuine refugees should be protected.

The proposals further suggested making an Azad Jammu and Kashmir domicile certificate mandatory, in addition to a state subject certificate, for employment in government institutions and admission to professional educational institutions in the territory.

Refugee seats dispute resurfaces in AJK

The issue of refugee representation has long been a key demand of the JAAC, which led a series of protests last year that turned violent and resulted in the deaths of several people.

The region witnessed one of its most turbulent periods in October last year when protests led by the JAAC erupted over demands for constitutional and governance reforms. At least nine people, including three policemen, were killed during the unrest.

The JAAC, which organised the protests and strike, had presented a wide-ranging charter of demands, including an end to the privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees, and the scrapping of the quota system.

Two days after the violence, the government and the JAAC reached an agreement covering 12 core and 13 additional points. Under the accord, both sides agreed to constitute a high-level committee to examine the issue of refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.

The unrest also triggered political upheaval in the region. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) subsequently moved a no-confidence resolution against then prime minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) joining the effort. Haq, who had been elected in April 2023 with 48 votes, chose to face the vote rather than resign.

On Nov 17, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore secured 36 votes in the election and became the 16th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.