Ex-JAAC leader urges end to long march

MUZAFFARABAD:

Former core member of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) Raja Amjad Ali Khan on Sunday appealed to the leadership of JAAC Umar Nazeer Kashmiri and Khawaja Mehran to immediately withdraw the call for the long march and sit-in at Rawalakot, which has continued for more than a month.

In a video message he said the prolonged protest in Rawalakot had caused immense hardship to the people of Rawalakot Division, particularly Rawalakot and said that several precious lives had also been lost during the unrest.

Khan urged the people of Rawalakot not to become part of disruptive elements and instead support efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability. He also appealed to the Kashmiri diaspora in the United Kingdom and other countries not to rely on unverified information circulating on social media and to play a constructive role in promoting peace in the region.

"The time has come to relieve the people of Rawalakot of these hardships and restore peace, stability and normal life," he said.

Meanwhile, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government spokesperson Chaudhry Guftar Hussain and AJK Police spokesperson Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Masood Kashfi told a joint press conference that both the Government of AJK and the Government of Pakistan had consistently prioritised dialogue, reconciliation and the peaceful resolution of public issues.

They said that under the October 4, 2025 agreement, all 38 demands of the now-proscribed JAAC had been accepted in the larger public interest. However, they alleged that the committee later deviated from demands relating to fundamental rights and pursued anti-state objectives, leading to its proscription under the law.

The government spokesperson said the 36-day sit-in had severely disrupted the supply of food, medicines and other essential commodities in Rawalakot Division.

He said blockades on highways and link roads had paralysed public movement and created shortages of essential items in several areas.