Lockdown Eased in PaJK; Crisis Persists

MUZAFFARABAD: After 10 days of a crippling shutdown in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch Division, the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on Wednesday announced a partial relaxation of its protest campaign.

The JAAC is allowing commercial activity three days a week while maintaining restrictions for the remaining four days.

The decision comes as the region faces a deepening political crisis, with major political parties joining hands to oppose proposed constitutional changes, fresh criminal cases being registered against protesters, and the government indicating its willingness to negotiate without announcing a formal mechanism for talks.

The committee's decision also follows the deaths of four young men in an explosion near Hajira on October 12, an incident that has intensified tensions in the already volatile region.

In a detailed statement issued from Rawalakot on Wednesday, the JAAC announced that the complete shutdown, enforced since October 4, would be converted into a "smart lockdown" following consultations with traders and transport representatives.

Under the revised arrangement, markets and commercial establishments will remain open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. A complete shutdown will continue during the remaining four days, although hospitals, medical stores and hotels will be exempted.

Goods vehicles will be permitted to transport food and other essential commodities during the three days of relaxation. However, transportation of construction materials will remain prohibited.

The committee has asked transport operators to continue their wheel-jam protest pending further consultations. Private vehicles and small vans will not be allowed to operate as public transport, although patients and people travelling abroad will be exempted.

Volunteers manning protest checkpoints have been instructed to continue inspections under the committee's established procedures.

Thanking traders, transporters and residents for supporting the shutdown, the JAAC said the relaxation was intended to reduce public hardship and did not represent a retreat from its demands.

The movement, which has been at the centre of protests over governance, economic grievances and political representation, has continued to command considerable influence in Poonch and Sudhnuti despite being proscribed by the regional administration earlier this year.

Government Signals Talks

Prime Minister Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani, speaking to journalists outside Parliament House in Islamabad on Wednesday, said the government was preparing a procedure for negotiations with protesters.

He said details of the proposed process would be shared with the media, while emphasizing that disputes required direct discussions rather than exchanges through television and newspapers.

However, the JAAC maintained that no formal government negotiating committee had been announced.

The committee reiterated its willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue but criticized efforts to establish local peace committees, describing them as attempts to bypass the movement's leadership.

The absence of an agreed negotiating mechanism remains a major obstacle to ending the confrontation.

The prospect of negotiations has been overshadowed by reports of fresh police cases and continuing action against activists.

According to local reports, additional First Information Reports have been registered in Rara and surrounding areas, naming more than 60 people.

The developments have raised questions about the administration's approach, particularly as local intermediaries have been attempting to secure a negotiated settlement.

The JAAC also condemned the reported arrest of lawyer Nabeela Irshad and alleged harassment of the family of social media activist Azra Alam.

It expressed particular concern over allegations that a four-year-old child, Muhammad Kiyani, had been placed on the Fourth Schedule, a security watchlist maintained under anti-terrorism legislation.

These allegations could not be independently verified.

The committee further accused security forces of occupying educational institutions and hostels, particularly in Rawalakot, disrupting academic activities since June.

It said it had no objection to reopening schools but insisted that students' safety must be guaranteed.

The JAAC appealed to teachers and educated residents to establish temporary voluntary teaching arrangements where regular classes remain suspended.

The committee also expressed grief over the deaths of four young men in an explosion near Mandhol in Hajira tehsil on October 12.

Explosion near LoC

Local reports identified some of the deceased as Muhammad Kabir, Ashfaq Khan and Usman.

Reports from across the Line of Control suggested that the victims were engaged in laying and repairing water pipes when the explosion occurred near the border area.

In a separate development, former opposition leader and senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf politician Khawaja Farooq Ahmed was released from Rara Jail in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday along with other detained party activists.

According to local reporting, Khawaja Farooq and 11 associates had been detained for approximately 24 days following a September 21 police raid on his residence in Lower Plate.

The politicians were reportedly discussing PTI's planned September 27 Islamabad march and demands for the release of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The Muzaffarabad administration subsequently issued detention orders under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order legislation.

Following a legal challenge, the High Court sought the relevant administrative record. At a subsequent hearing, the court was informed that the deputy commissioner had withdrawn the detention notification, paving the way for their release.

The case was pursued by a legal team including Khawaja Junaid Pandit and representatives of the Muzaffarabad Bar Association.

Although unrelated directly to the JAAC shutdown, the detentions have contributed to wider opposition concerns over the use of preventive detention powers.

Winter Adds Urgency

Meanwhile, the onset of colder weather has increased concerns about prolonged disruptions to transport and essential supplies.

Rain and the season's first snowfall were reported in several mountainous areas on Tuesday, including Neelum Valley, Bagh, Haveli and Leepa Valley.

Political leaders have warned that continued restrictions on movement and communications could aggravate hardship in remote communities as winter approaches.

The JAAC's partial relaxation offers some relief to traders and residents, but the broader confrontation remains unresolved.

With the government yet to announce a formal negotiating team, political parties demanding constitutional safeguards and protesters insisting on accountability for security operations, the coming days will test whether the current consultations can produce a settlement.

For now, the markets may reopen three days a week, but the political deadlock in Poonch shows little sign of ending.