PM orders ‘transparent’ probe into violent AJK protests as fresh talks begin

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while expressing deep concern and taking notice of the violent situation in Azad Kashmir, has appealed to the protesters to remain peaceful, assuring the resolution of their issues as soon as possible, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

In a statement issued in Islamabad early Thursday, PM Shehbaz Sharif maintained that peaceful protest was a constitutional and democratic right of every citizen but the protesters should refrain from harming public peace.

The prime minister directed the law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint and patience with the protesters, ensuring respect for public sentiments and avoiding any unnecessary harshness.

The prime minister assured that the government was always ready to resolve the issues of its Kashmiri brothers.

A high-level delegation from Pakistan has started formal dialogue with representatives of the Joint Action Committee of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Muzaffarabad today. pic.twitter.com/gcKdFoYKNL

— Dr. Tariq Fazal Ch. (@DrTariqFazal) October 2, 2025

Expressing deep concern over the unfortunate incidents during the protests, Shehbaz Sharif ordered a transparent investigation into the matter and directed the provision of immediate assistance to the affected families.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also decided to expand the negotiation committee to find a peaceful resolution to the issue including federal ministers Sardar Yusuf and Ahsan Iqbal, Senator Rana Sanaullah, former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Masood Khan, and Qamar Zaman Kaira in the body.

He instructed the negotiation committee to immediately travel to Muzaffarabad and find an immediate and lasting solution to the issues.

He announced to personally oversee the negotiation process upon his return to the country.

The prime minister also appealed to the members and leadership of the Action Committee to cooperate with the government’s negotiation committee which would submit its recommendations and proposed solutions to the Prime Minister’s Office without delay for immediate resolution of the issues.

Govt delegation holds talks

On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a high-level government delegation arrived in Muzaffarabad on Thursday to hold negotiations with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which is leading the recent wave of protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The delegation included senior political figures Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Amir Muqam, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, Sardar Yousaf, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Sardar Masood Ahmed. The Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, is also accompanying the team.

Officials said the delegation will meet the Awami Action Committee leadership in an effort to resolve all issues peacefully through dialogue. After the talks, the committee will submit its recommendations and proposed solutions to the prime minister.

Speaking to the media before the negotiations, AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq said that most of the demands of the Awami Action Committee had already been accepted and that further discussions would be held on the remaining issues. “Every problem can be solved by sitting together,” he noted.

Rana Sanaullah remarked that violence could not resolve matters, adding, “The people of Azad Kashmir are our brothers.” Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the appointment of such a high-level team for dialogue reflected the prime minister’s seriousness, while former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf stressed the urgency of restoring normalcy at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in a message posted on X, appealed to the people of Azad Kashmir to remain peaceful. He reminded protesters to reflect on the sacrifices of three generations in Indian-administered Kashmir, who continue to write the history of freedom with their blood. “The rights and privileges available to you are not even a tenth of what those in Indian-occupied Kashmir can imagine,” he added.

آزاد کشمیر میں جو اسوقت حضرات احتجاج کر رہے ھیں۔ اسکے فائدہ یانقصان ،درست یا غلط
کی بحث میں جاۓ بغیر صرف ان احتجاجی حضرات سے درخواست ھے کہمقبوضہ کشمیر کے مسلمانوں کی تین نسلوں کی جدوجہد اور قربانیوں کی داستان پہ غور کریں۔ جو آپکو میسر ھے اسکا عشر عشیر کا بھی وہ تصور نہیں کر سکتے۔…

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) October 1, 2025

The unrest over the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee’s (JKJAAC) demands took a bloody turn on Wednesday, with at least nine people killed in clashes with law enforcers, including three policemen, and over a hundred injured.

Talks between the JKJAAC, the AJK government and federal ministers over elite privileges and reserved seats for refugees broke down last week. Rival groups have since staged protests, trading blame for violence that marred what began as a largely peaceful movement.

Addressing a press conference alongside Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Wednesday, AJK PM Chaudhry Anwarul Haq said a “civilised and peaceful” path to securing public rights lays in negotiations, warning that violence would only deepen the crisis.

In Muzaffarabad, most shops, including medical stores, restaurants and tandoors, remained shut, while street vendors and public transport stayed off the roads. Major arteries were strewn with broken glass, boulders and other debris, forcing the few private vehicles on the streets to take detours or turn back. 

The main flashpoint was again Neelum Bridge and its environs with police deployed on one bank of the Neelum River and demonstrators massed on the opposite side. Witnesses said protesters hurled stones at police, who responded with tear gas shelling and gunfire in the air.
 

Reporter Awais Kiyani