(Abdul Basit Alvi)
I believe the rumours circulating on social media and in some print media about Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) becoming a province of Pakistan through a constitutional amendment are baseless and misleading. Pakistan has consistently rejected India’s unilateral decision of August 5, 2019, to revoke the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), as it violates international principles and UN resolutions. Making AJK a province would contradict Pakistan’s longstanding Kashmir policy, weaken its international credibility, and provide India with an opportunity to challenge Pakistan’s position. Such a major constitutional change would require legal consultations, political consensus, administrative and financial planning, and the consent of the people of AJK. It cannot happen secretly or overnight. AJK already has its own assembly, government, courts, and institutions while maintaining strong political, social, economic, and family ties with Pakistan. Its people serve in the Pakistan Army, work in national institutions, study in Pakistani universities, and contribute to the country’s economy. I believe there is no logical reason to disturb this arrangement when Pakistan’s actual objective should remain the resolution of the Kashmir dispute according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people, through their right to self-determination and a free and fair plebiscite. Pakistan has consistently defended this position at the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and other international forums. Any change in AJK’s constitutional status would also require public participation, debate in its assembly, and national political agreement. The ongoing discussions about new provinces in Pakistan and the constitutional questions surrounding Gilgit-Baltistan clearly demonstrate the sensitivity and complexity of such decisions. There is no credible official confirmation that Pakistan intends to make AJK a province, and the absence of any formal announcement further weakens these rumours.
I also believe these rumours are being used to create confusion, fear, and divisions between the people of AJK and Pakistan, particularly the Pakistan Army. Certain banned JAAC and nationalist elements, having lost public support, appear to be exploiting such controversies to regain attention and create political pressure. Similar tactics are used by groups that resort to protests and agitation when they fail to achieve their political objectives. However, the everyday lives of people in AJK, including their schools, markets, offices, and businesses, reflect their desire for peace, development, stability, and a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute. The few print media outlets that circulated these claims failed to provide documentary evidence, while social media users further spread unverified screenshots, fabricated statements, and misleading videos. I believe everyone must understand that a social media trend is not government policy, a rumour is not a constitutional decision, and repeated claims do not establish facts. The media and the public must act responsibly by verifying information and seeking reliable official sources before sharing sensitive claims. The people of AJK are fully aware of their rights and must have a meaningful voice in any decision concerning their future. Any attempt to change their status without their consent would be unacceptable. Pakistan’s position on Kashmir is based on UN resolutions, self-determination, and opposition to unilateral changes in the region’s status. Changing AJK into a province would undermine that position, damage diplomatic credibility, and provide India with an argument against the Kashmiri cause. I firmly believe that Pakistan has no intention of taking such a step at this stage and that these rumours are being circulated to weaken the existing unity between AJK and Pakistan. The people of AJK understand the importance of their relationship with Pakistan, which is reflected in their daily lives, shared interests, family connections, and sacrifices for the Kashmir cause. We must not allow false propaganda or politically motivated agendas to create hatred, mistrust, or instability among our people.
I also want to say something about the timing of this rumour. It did not appear at a random moment. It appeared at a time when the political scene in Pakistan is crowded. The government is busy with economic challenges. The opposition is busy with its own campaigns. The international scene is sensitive. In such moments, rumours find space because attention is divided. The rumour-mongers know this. They pick their moments carefully. They wait for the noise of other issues to cover their own. They launch their little fire when the fire brigade is busy elsewhere. But the timing also tells us something else. It tells us that the rumour is not an accident. It is a planned act. It is a deliberate attempt to create maximum confusion with minimum effort. That is why I call it propaganda and not a simple mistake. A mistake is corrected when facts emerge. Propaganda is repeated even when facts are clear. The repetition itself is the strategy. The aim is to make people tired of the facts. The aim is to make people say “there must be something in it”. The aim is to erode trust slowly. That is why we must be alert. We must not give the rumour the space it seeks.
The current environment, as I said, is not favourable for any such decision. The economy is under pressure. The political scene is busy with many issues. The diplomatic front is sensitive. The Kashmir issue is at a delicate stage. This is not the time for experiments. This is the time for unity and patience. The people of AJK have shown this unity. They have shown this patience. They have rejected the rumour and the rumour-mongers. The anti-state elements have been exposed. Their dirty intentions have been laid bare. The people have identified them and have shown complete isolation from them and from their dirty agendas. The future of Kashmir will be decided by the people of Kashmir, in line with UN resolutions, and with the support of Pakistan. It will not be decided by social media trends or by the wishful thinking of failed political elements. It will not be decided by a few people sitting in a room and drawing lines on a map. It will be decided by history, by justice, and by the will of the people. Pakistan’s role in that future is clear. Pakistan will stand with the people of Kashmir. Pakistan will defend their right to decide. Pakistan will not do what India did. That is the promise. That is the principle. And that principle will not be broken for the sake of a short-term political trick.
The claim that AJK is about to become a province is false propaganda. It has no logical basis. It contradicts Pakistan’s principled position on Kashmir. It ignores the need for homework and consensus. It ignores the international implications. It serves the agenda of anti-state elements and of our enemies. It aims to create chaos, anarchy, division, and hate. The people of AJK have rejected it. The people of AJK know that their future is with Pakistan. The day will come, inshallah very soon, when IIOJK will be freed from Indian illegal occupation and the whole of Kashmir will become a part of Pakistan. Until then, we must remain united and vigilant. We must reject rumours. We must trust our institutions. We must keep the Kashmir cause above all other considerations. We must remember that our strength lies in unity and our weakness lies in division. The rumour-mongers know this too. That is why they try to divide us. We will not let them succeed. That is the wise path. That is the path of Pakistan. That is the path the people of AJK have chosen, and no false propaganda can change that.
