(Abdul Basit Alvi)
The international community must recognize that AJK’s crisis is being dangerously misrepresented by the banned JAAC, which rejects electoral democracy and relies on mob rule rather than the ballot box. The government has already conceded thirty-five of thirty-eight demands, including subsidized electricity and flour, while the sole outstanding issue—twelve reserved seats for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)—is purely constitutional and cannot be settled by street pressure, yet JAAC refuses legal processes. Financially, AJK collects only 65 billion rupees against 350 billion in expenses, with Pakistan covering the entire deficit, making JAAC’s claim that reserved seats consume local funds absurd; geographically, the river Jehlum originates in IIOJK and merely flows through AJK, yet JAAC wants its hydropower benefits while denying representation to those same refugees, exposing clear hypocrisy. The group’s timber stick cultural claim is false, and their June 9th march, aimed at an armed attack on Muzaffarabad, was halted at Rawalakot to prevent bloodshed, while their threatened UN petition misrepresents the issue, as the actual violations stem from JAAC’s own violent tactics.
Experts have proposed making AJK a full Pakistani province to permanently cancel the reserved seats and grant greater NFC benefits and national assembly representation—a democratic path JAAC rejects in favor of violence, which has severely harmed ordinary citizens by shutting down tourism and businesses, blocking students from schools, patients from hospitals, and laborers from earning, while internet blackouts and soaring grocery prices (higher than nearby Pakistani cities) have created a severe economic crisis—these are the genuine human rights abuses committed by JAAC. India and its media are celebrating this chaos, revealing JAAC’s dubious allegiances, though common AJK residents are isolating from the group and yearning for normalcy. Pakistan entirely sustains AJK, which produces nothing on its own and would collapse without Pakistani supplies; despite this, JAAC leaders have disgracefully insulted the martyrs from all Pakistani provinces who died for Kashmir and have even incited Kashmiri soldiers in the Pak Army to rebel—an act of treason. Nevertheless, the overwhelming love of Kashmiris for Pakistan and the Pak Army remains unbreakable, and analysts assert that this militant faction must be dealt with firmly for their betrayal and destruction.
The banned JAAC is treating both India and Pakistan with the same scale, which is completely unfair and unjust. The great and positive role of Pakistan for AJK and the atrocities of India in IIOJK are in front of the whole world. The ultimate destiny for Kashmiris is Pakistan, and they reject all those elements who want to make divisions between Pakistan and AJK. The banned JAAC is making a hole in the same plate in which it is eating, biting the hand that feeds it. The banned JAAC is sowing the seeds of division and hate into the minds of Kashmiris for Pakistan. People and analysts say that in the current financial crisis, it is extremely difficult for a person to move from one city to another as it costs too much, but the banned JAAC is mobilizing groups of people in AJK without any apparent financial issues. For people and experts, this clearly shows that they are getting foreign funding from our enemies and using this money to sabotage the peace of AJK. The actions of the banned JAAC have now converted into armed violence and open betrayal against the State and its institutions. Spreading hate, division, and negativity among the society is not the welfare of the society and is not a matter of human rights; it is a matter of national security and survival. It should also be noted that the situation in AJK is quite different from that of IIOJK. IIOJK is facing worse atrocities and human rights violations from the Indian government, while in AJK, the banned JAAC has created this artificial situation and is involved in human rights violations and betrayal just because of its unlawful and unrealistic demands.
The role of the State in the case of AJK has been remarkable, and it has shown remarkable patience and restraint in dealing with this group. The heinous actions of the banned JAAC are far away from people’s rights. In simple words, the actions like burning Pakistani flags, chanting slogans against Pakistan and the Pak Army, asking Kashmiris serving in the Pak Army to do insurgency and fight against Pakistan, attacking civilian and government assets, attacking hospitals, cross-firing on law enforcement agencies, threats of throwing the law enforcement agencies and Pak Army personnel into the Mangla Dam, threats of a mob attack on Muzaffarabad and Islamabad, and many other such acts are not people’s rights. In simple words, these heinous actions are the worst form of terrorism, and such actions are strictly treated even anywhere in the world. The people of AJK are demanding the government to revive the State’s writ and want to get rid of such violent protests which are badly violating human rights, destroying the historical and exemplary peace of AJK, and destroying the business and routine activities of the region. The internet is closed in AJK, and it is just because of the banned JAAC and their false propaganda against the State and its institutions. The banned JAAC has pushed AJK into ancient and stone times, halting all progress. The leaders and members of the banned JAAC sitting in a sit-in in Rawalakot are posing a great threat to the State and its writ. They are chanting and delivering speeches openly against the State, Pakistan, and the Pak Army. They are targeting law enforcement agencies and, in a desperate act, using children and women as human shields. According to security sources, they also have weapons. Just for the sake of legal and constitutional matters, they have disturbed and hijacked the entire state. The so-called movement which was started on the name of people’s rights has now converted into an insurgency and armed movement against the State and its machinery. Also, drawing a resemblance of the Rawalakot sit-in with the tragedy of Karbala from a few elements is also wrong and does not match with the true spirit of Karbala. Here in the Rawalakot sit-in case, according to the teachings of Islam and civilized norms, it is very clear that the State is right and the protestors are wrong. The State has shown utmost tolerance and patience, but now people say that if the government decides to treat such riots strictly, then such a decision will be warmly welcomed by the people of AJK as it will be aimed to ensure peace in the state and restore the human rights and the writ of the state. The mature people of AJK are showing isolation from the banned JAAC because of its violent and anti-state actions. The people of AJK demand the government to get rid of the lives of the people from the dirty actions of the banned JAAC. The people of AJK also demand the UN and the world to take serious notice of the human rights violations of the banned JAAC in AJK and appeals to the UN and the world to label the banned JAAC as an internationally banned terrorist group. This is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region.
