By Eman Alam
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Wednesday said that 90 percent of the demands put forward by the Awami Action Committee (AAC) had been accepted, urging the its leaders to return to the negotiating table.
Addressing a joint press conference at Kashmir House along with Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, he said there was no justification for protests in AJK as the majority of the demands had already been met.
He criticized the AAC leadership for pushing the situation towards a dead end, warning that protests would neither deliver results nor offer solutions. “We do not want violence in Azad Kashmir, nor do we want our enemies to exploit it,” he said.
The minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had tasked him and Federal Minister for Kashmir, Gilgit, Baltistan, and States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Engr Amir Muqam with holding talks in Muzaffarabad.
He revealed that 12 hours of negotiations had already taken place, resulting in a written agreement, with corrections requested by the AAC also accepted.
Despite this progress, he said, the committee resumed protests on September 29, which he termed unnecessary. He cautioned that violent demonstrations would only allow India to use the footage for propaganda purposes.
“We served as guarantors that the agreed points would be implemented. Government employees suspended during earlier protests were reinstated, and cases against them were withdrawn. Demands regarding wheat, electricity, and local government were also accepted,” he said.
However, he clarified that two demands — abolition of refugee seats and reduction in the number of ministers — required constitutional amendments and could not be addressed immediately. “Despite these constraints, both sides had agreed to move forward under a written agreement,” he added.
He regretted that violence erupted despite the progress, stressing that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had even expressed readiness to personally meet AAC leaders upon his return from London.
Azad Jammu Kashmir Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq, speaking on the occasion, said dialogue was the only way to resolve disputes. “Provoking people through civilian groups leads to anarchy and needless loss of human lives. I extend an open invitation to the Awami Action Committee to engage in talks,” he said.
Expressing grief over casualties, he said three policemen were martyred and nearly 150 others injured, including eight in critical condition. “I had repeatedly warned that the protest would not remain peaceful, as different groups were active in various areas,” he noted.
He reiterated that the government was prepared to resume dialogue in Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, or any other part of AJK. “Violence only brings bloodshed. Taking one life is like taking the life of all humanity. We must avoid a path that leads to further tragedy,” he said.
The AJK premier recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Council, had deputed two federal ministers to monitor the negotiations. “The talks were not declared a failure; they only faced a deadlock on two constitutional matters. When 90 percent of issues are settled, the rest can also be resolved,” he added.
He added that the prime minister had conveyed his willingness to personally hear the AAC’s concerns, saying that after such assurances, there was no justification for violent demonstrations.
