PaJK Leaders Vow to Defend Autonomy Amid Poonch Crisis

MUZAFFARABAD: Political leaders across party lines in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir have stepped up consultations over the worsening situation in Poonch Division.

They have decided to take a united stand on the ongoing protests by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), and a proposed constitutional amendment that has raised concerns over the region's internal autonomy.

In a significant political development, leaders representing several major parties met President Dr Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan in Islamabad on Tuesday. They also held a separate consultative meeting at Mujahid Manzil, the Rawalpindi residence of former Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, where they agreed to defend the region's constitutional powers and seek a peaceful political settlement of the Poonch crisis.

The meetings come against the backdrop of continuing unrest in Poonch and Sudhnuti districts, where protests, restrictions on movement, disruptions to communication services and reported shortages of essential commodities have heightened public anxiety.

Meanwhile, the Joint Awami Action Committee is holding a crucial meeting in Rawalakot to review the situation and determine its future strategy. An announcement is expected following the deliberations.

The meeting with President Najeeb Naqi Khan at the President's House in Islamabad brought together Muslim Conference President and former Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, former President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shah Ghulam Qadir, former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan, and former Prime Minister and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party leader Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan.

Pakistan Peoples’ Party President and Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin and former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Abdul Rashid Turabi also attended.

The discussions focused on the deteriorating law and order situation in Poonch Division, the continuing protest movement, constitutional questions and the implications of the proposed amendment.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, President Najeeb Naqi Khan sought additional time to consult relevant stakeholders on constitutional and political matters. The participants agreed to meet again after a few days.

However, no immediate breakthrough or specific agreement on ending the protests was announced.

Leaders Draw Red Line

At the subsequent meeting at Mujahid Manzil in Rawalpindi, the political leadership adopted a joint position on the constitutional status and internal autonomy of Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting was attended by Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, Shah Ghulam Qadir, Raja Farooq Haider Khan, Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan, Abdul Rashid Turabi and former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr Khalid Mahmood.

According to a statement issued after the meeting, the participants agreed that the region's internal autonomy, existing constitutional status, political identity and powers vested in its government under the 1974 Interim Constitution must be protected.

They declared that no compromise would be acceptable on these fundamental questions.

The position assumes significance as discussions surrounding a proposed constitutional amendment have generated apprehensions about possible changes to the existing distribution of powers.

The leaders did not identify specific provisions of the proposed amendment in their statement. Nor did they explain which constitutional powers might be affected.

Their collective declaration nevertheless signals growing concern among established political parties over any changes that could weaken the authority of the elected government or alter the region's constitutional arrangements.

The political leaders expressed serious concern over the worsening situation in Poonch Division and called for a peaceful, dignified and politically negotiated resolution.

They demanded the restoration of uninterrupted movement and communication links throughout the affected areas.

The meeting also called for ensuring adequate supplies of food, medicines and other essential commodities, along with immediate steps to restore internet services.

These demands come as residents of parts of Poonch and Sudhnuti continue to face difficulties arising from the prolonged confrontation between protesters and the authorities.

The participants also demanded that the people and voters of Poonch be brought into the electoral process without further delay.

At the same time, the leaders urged the organisers of protests and sit-ins to respect constitutional provisions, the law, social values and local traditions.

They appealed for restraint and emphasised that political dialogue, rather than confrontation, offered the best way forward.

Despite the broad agreement, the meeting produced no publicly announced roadmap for resolving the crisis.

The leaders emphasised that their political commitment to Pakistan should not come at the expense of the region's internal autonomy, constitutional identity or the powers of its elected institutions.

This distinction formed a central element of the joint declaration.

Action Committee Weighs Next Move

Attention has now shifted to Rawalakot, where the Joint Awami Action Committee is holding consultations on its next course of action.

The committee has emerged as a major force in the region's protest politics, raising demands related to governance, public services, economic relief and political accountability.

Its latest mobilisation in Poonch and Sudhnuti has intensified pressure on the government and political establishment to address outstanding grievances.

The committee's forthcoming announcement is expected to determine whether the protest movement continues in its present form, intensifies or opens the door to negotiations.

For the political leadership, the immediate challenge is to establish a credible dialogue with the protesters while preventing further deterioration of the humanitarian and security situation.

The renewed consultations also underline a wider political concern: how to preserve the constitutional authority of Azad Jammu and Kashmir while addressing a protest movement that has repeatedly challenged the region's governing institutions.

Whether the latest cross-party initiative produces a negotiated settlement will depend on the response of the government, the Joint Awami Action Committee and other stakeholders.

For now, the political leadership has found common ground on two issues: protecting constitutional autonomy and preventing the Poonch crisis from escalating further.

Constitutional Amendment Revives Autonomy Debate

The controversy surrounding the proposed constitutional amendment has also revived memories of the 13th Amendment, adopted in 2018, which substantially altered the relationship between the AJK government and the AJK Council.

That amendment transferred important legislative powers from the Council to the elected Assembly and reduced the Council's role largely to an advisory one. It was presented at the time as a major step towards strengthening local self-government.

The latest political consultations suggest that leaders across party lines are determined to protect those constitutional gains.

However, in the absence of a publicly available draft of the proposed amendment, its precise implications remain unclear.

A report published by Dawn on Tuesday independently confirmed the Rawalpindi meeting and the political leaders' demands for a peaceful settlement, restoration of internet services and uninterrupted supplies of essential commodities.

The coming days will test whether this rare display of political unity can translate into practical measures to end the Poonch confrontation and restore normal life.