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ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore announced Friday that his administration has fulfilled 98% of the reform agenda agreed last year with the&nbsp;Joint Awami Action Committee, a move he says has stabilized the region and restored public confidence in the political system. Speaking at a news conference in Muzaffarabad, the AJK PM stated that the government prioritized the implementation of the &quot;38-Point Agreement&quot; signed with the committee representatives.The accord addressed long-standing economic and administrative grievances that had previously sparked unrest in the region. The AJK PM said the administration implemented the agreed terms just six weeks after taking office to bridge the divide between the state and the public. &quot;The public has once again placed its confidence in the democratic process,&quot; he said. &quot;In just one and a half months, we have implemented all matters related to the agreement&nbsp;promised with the Joint Awami Action Committee during the oath-taking ceremony.&quot; Reforms enacted The AJK PM issued formal directives to launch a universal health card scheme intended to support low-income residents. The AJK government&nbsp;also advanced the financial status of the Bank of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The administration approved a Rs9 billion ($32 million) capital injection to meet State Bank of Pakistan requirements. This will help pave the way for the institution to operate as a scheduled commercial bank. It&nbsp;has maintained the subsidized tariff structure for electricity and wheat flour mandated by the agreement. It is also proceeding with the restoration of the Local Government Act of 1990 to devolve administrative power to local representatives. Governance and stability The AJK PM said that the government&rsquo;s adherence to the pact has eliminated any public distrust&nbsp;that characterized the previous year. He said the current administration is focused on preventing any return to instability or violence. AJK PM Rathore noted that the cabinet, which has convened five times since assuming office on Nov. 17 last year, resolved public interest issues through dialogue rather than confrontation. He said the government seeks to compete only with its own performance standards to ensure continued service delivery. The administration has now turned its focus to the remaining procedural aspects of the agreement to ensure full compliance, he added.

Politics

AJK PM stated his government fulfilled 98% of reforms in six weeks, including delivering subsidized electricity, flour, health cards, and bank upgrades.

Government has delivered on key reforms, rebuilt public confidence: AJK PM 

Gaitty Ara Anis

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has strongly rejected India&rsquo;s accusations at the United Nations, saying New Delhi&rsquo;s ruling ideology has transformed the country into what it described as the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s largest factory of hate,&rdquo; fueled by Hindutva extremism and systematic repression in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In a right of reply during a UN Security Council debate, Pakistan&rsquo;s Counsellor Gul Qaiser Sarwani called out India&rsquo;s representative for what he termed &ldquo;baseless and diversionary claims,&rdquo; stressing that the situation in Kashmir remains one of &ldquo;custodial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, demographic engineering, and sweeping media blackouts.&rdquo; Sarwani contrasted conditions in Indian-occupied Kashmir with those in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which he said &ldquo;stands as evidence of Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to democratic governance,&rdquo; where citizens elect their leadership and &ldquo;enjoy freedoms unimaginable under Indian occupation.&rdquo; He underlined that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute, stating: &ldquo;Kashmir is not India&rsquo;s internal matter, it never was and never will be. It remains on the UN agenda, and no decree from New Delhi can alter that reality.&rdquo; Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s longstanding position on the UN-mandated plebiscite, Sarwani said it is India that has &ldquo;reneged on every commitment,&rdquo; instead deploying nearly 900,000 troops to enforce control over the region, which he described as &ldquo;the densest military occupation of our time.&rdquo; He added that India&rsquo;s allegations against Pakistan aim to deflect attention from the situation in Kashmir. &ldquo;The mask of democracy slips,&rdquo; Sarwani said, &ldquo;when minorities across India face persecution, Muslims lynched in public, Christians attacked in places of worship, Sikhs vilified, and Dalits dehumanized. The tragedies of Gujarat, Delhi and Manipur speak for themselves.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

In a UNSC debate, Pakistan rejected India’s accusations, saying New Delhi’s Hindutva-driven policies fueled repression in Indian-occupied Kashmir and undermine democratic values, while reaffirming Kashmir as UN-recognized dispute requiring a plebiscite.

Pakistan rebuts India at UN, says Hindutva policies eroding democratic values

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday lauded the efforts of the federal government&rsquo;s Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Negotiation Committee, reaffirming his government&rsquo;s commitment to peacefully addressing the concerns and rights of the Kashmiri people.&nbsp;During a meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister said that most issues in Kashmir had been &ldquo;amicably resolved&rdquo; and assured that remaining grievances would be handled with priority.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have always been protectors of our Kashmiri brothers and sisters&rsquo; rights and will continue to safeguard them in the future,&rdquo; PM Sharif said.&nbsp;The meeting came days after a shutdown in Muzaffarabad, where the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) presented a 34-point charter of demands to the government.&nbsp;Officials said that nearly 90% of the demands were accepted, except for two, reducing the number of ministers and abolishing migrant seats, which require constitutional amendments.&nbsp;The AJK Negotiation Committee continues to facilitate dialogue aimed at resolving longstanding disputes and improving socio-economic conditions in the region.&nbsp;They said the government remains committed to supporting all initiatives that promote peace, stability, and development in Kashmir, a central issue in Pakistan&rsquo;s national and foreign policy.

The AJK Negotiation Committee briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on progress toward resolving local disputes, with the government accepting most public demands and reaffirming its commitment to peace, development, and protection of Kashmiri rights.

Pakistan PM lauds Azad Kashmir committee’s progress, vows to protect rights

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expanded the federal negotiation team tasked with defusing tensions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), according to his office, amid ongoing protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).&nbsp;According to an official statement, the team has travelled to Muzaffarabad to engage in dialogue with JAAC leaders and provide recommendations to the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office.&nbsp;The expanded team now includes Senator Rana Sanaullah, Federal Ministers Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Ahsan Iqbal, senior leaders Amir Muqam, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, former AJK president Masood Khan, and Sardar Masood Ahmed.&nbsp;PM Sharif emphasized that peaceful protest is a democratic right, but warned against actions that disrupt public order and peace. He directed law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint and avoid excessive use of force, assuring protesters that the government is committed to addressing their concerns.&nbsp;Dialogue and government responseSharif also announced support for families affected by the unrest and has called for a transparent investigation into the recent violence. He said he will personally oversee the negotiation process upon his return from London.&nbsp;Federal Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry reiterated the government&rsquo;s openness to dialogue, saying it is now the JAAC&rsquo;s responsibility to help stabilize the situation.&nbsp;Background of the unrestProtests erupted across AJK on September 29, triggering a near-complete shutdown in Muzaffarabad. Markets remained closed, public transport was suspended, and most schools were empty, despite being officially open.&nbsp;The JAAC submitted a 38-point charter of demands, which included the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri migrants from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and royalty payments from regional hydropower projects.&nbsp;Government officials reported that nearly 90% of the demands were accepted. However, two key demands &mdash; reducing the number of ministers and abolishing migrant seats &mdash; were rejected, as they require constitutional amendments.&nbsp;Calls for calmAt a joint press conference on Wednesday, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq urged the JAAC to resume talks. They warned that continued violence would undermine public welfare.&nbsp;&ldquo;Public rights are affected where human lives are lost,&rdquo; said PM Anwar-ul-Haq, noting that the federal government had already engaged in extensive negotiations, resulting in a draft agreement.&nbsp;Officials added that federal ministers stationed in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot will oversee the implementation of any agreements reached with protest leaders.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expanded a federal team to negotiate with protest leaders in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, urging calm and restraint. Most protest demands were accepted, as talks continue to resolve the unrest.

Pakistan PM expands negotiation team to ease Azad Kashmir tensions

MUZAFFARABAD: At least six civilians and three police personnel have been killed in violent demonstrations led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the Press Information Department (PID) said on Tuesday.&nbsp;Authorities reported that 172 police officers were injured, 12 critically, along with 50 civilians. Security has since been tightened across sensitive areas, with officials warning against further unrest.&nbsp;In a statement, the PID appealed to the public to remain calm and &ldquo;not pay attention to fake news being spread on social media under a specific agenda, and to only share authentic and verified information.&rdquo; Medical facilities, it added, are providing treatment to those injured.&nbsp;AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq condemned the protest tactics, accusing the JAAC of holding the system hostage. &ldquo;If you claim to represent the public, there are only two constitutional paths: local bodies or Legislative Assembly elections,&rdquo; he told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;He acknowledged grievances over electricity tariffs and food inflation but rejected what he called &ldquo;unrealistic demands&rdquo; that exceeded the state&rsquo;s fiscal capacity. &ldquo;The constitution allows peaceful protest,&rdquo; Chaudhry said, &ldquo;but no one has the right to shut down civic life or paralyze the state.&rdquo;&nbsp;Officials stressed that the deaths and injuries occurred amid violent clashes, dismissing what they described as &ldquo;disinformation&rdquo; circulating online. They reiterated calls for restraint, urging protesters to channel demands through legal and democratic forums.

Security

Nine people, including six civilians and three police officers, were killed in violent protests in Azad Kashmir. Over 220 were injured as officials tightened security, urged calm, and warned against disinformation while stressing peaceful, constitutional protest channels.

Articles tagged with "Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)"

Government has delivered on key reforms, rebuilt public confidence: AJK PM

Pakistan rebuts India at UN, says Hindutva policies eroding democratic values

Pakistan PM lauds Azad Kashmir committee’s progress, vows to protect rights

Pakistan PM expands negotiation team to ease Azad Kashmir tensions

Azad Kashmir warns of rising toll from violent protests, urges calm and peace