Govt calls on JAAC to abandon 'violence'

Minister says no direct talks ongoing

ISLAMABAD:

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Monday called on the recently proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to abandon its alleged violence and adopt constitutional means to achieve its demands, while saying there were no direct talks ongoing with the group, although the Azad Jammu and Kashmir premier was welcome to try.

Tensions have been rising in AJK following recent deadly clashes that have led to competing narratives over casualties, governance grievances, and political legitimacy. Official sources have confirmed at least seven deaths.

Officials said that despite claims of peaceful intent, certain elements have continued to engage in violent activities. The same elements, they added, have previously been involved in damaging public property and attacks that resulted in the martyrdom and injuries of security personnel.

Addressing a news conference outside Parliament House, Chaudhry urged the JAAC to refrain from adopting a violent course of action and instead resolve issues through dialogue and negotiations, emphasising that disputes should be settled through peaceful engagement rather than confrontation.

"Now that the JAAC is outlawed, the government is not conducting direct negotiations with the committee."

Nevertheless, Chaudhry said that the government would have "no reservation" if AJK Prime Minister Faisal Rathore, who he said was a "dynamic youth" and very active amid the situation, attempted to resolve the matter in an indirect manner.

"There should be no violence. There should be no loss of life," he said, and once again called on the JAAC to abandon the path of resistance and confrontation. "Definitely, a path will be found that will be of peace and well-being."

Speaking about the sit-in, the minister asked the demonstrators to give peace a chance, as loss of lives "revolving around the issue of 12 seats" was incomprehensible and irrational.

He said the government had taken significant steps to address the concerns of protesters, claiming that at least 35 of their 38 demands had been fulfilled.

The minister explained that the lapse of three demands was based on the pendency of the issue in court.

Describing measures undertaken to bring about stability in the region, Chaudhry highlighted that the government terminated 170 first information reports (FIRs) against the protesters and compensated the families of those who lost their lives on equal footing as that of law enforcement officials.

He also said that the government offered jobs to the aggrieved family members of the victims who passed away on the day of the protest.

"We have reduced the size of the AJK cabinet from 36 to 20 as per the agreement that was reached between the conflicting parties while accepting demands that were quite unnegotiable," the minister underscored, adding that ministries had also been reduced from 32 to 22.